The Storm Begins
by kmp101592
Summary: Lily and James are off to their last year at Hogwarts. Along the way, they will encounter prejudice, hatred and the fight of their lives. From an attack on the Hogwarts Express, to a battle in Hogsmeade, and more, follow our characters through dark times.
1. Danger Begins

Author's Note: Hey there

**Author's Note: Hey there! I know it has been a while, but this past year has been absolutely nuts and I haven't had time to do anything I enjoy! But I am back, and with a new story. I might go back and work on my other ones (which I never finished…) but we will just have to see. So, any criticism would be appreciated! Reviews make the world go round! Thanks!**

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**Extended Summary:**In their 7th year at Hogwarts, Lily Evans and James Potter have been dubbed Head Boy and Girl, an immense honor. But ever since their second year, these two Gryffindors have never really gotten along. Well, that's quite an understatement.

You see, James was "in love" with Lily and had been rather forward about his feelings for quite some time. Of course, it had slightly freaked Lily out and had made any other possible attempts at friendship, let alone courtship, futile. So, Lily Evans and James Potter had pretty much had an ongoing tirade that consisted of anything between pranks and jokes to swear words, hexes, and curses. And this year, their very last at Hogwarts, they are going to have to learn how to get along with each other without annoying the snot out of the other person, or themselves, for that matter.

But with Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters growing stronger, this new patience will be put to the test. Following an attack on the Hogwarts Express, these two very different people must band together to figure out what the Dark Lord is planning and how to stop him. But can they do it without killing each other first?

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Harry Potter. JK Rowling is such a lucky woman!**

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Chapter 1- Danger Begins

"Evans!"

The voice cut sharply through the usual hustle and bustle that was ever present on platform nine and three quarters. Lily Evans sighed heavily as she continued on towards the compartment where she was supposed to meet the new Head Boy, ignoring the young man. The person in question was quickly making his way towards her, muttering short apologies to those he ran into or gently pushed aside.

This was James Potter and he was, to put it simply, in love with the beautiful red head he was chasing after. It had been a long haul for him though: she had squashed his attempts to ask her out ever since third year and had taken it to a whole new level in their fifth year. So, he had decided to back off the previous year, which proved to be a slightly rewarding choice. The normal threats and name calling had been reduced to a minimum of witty banter and annoyed eye rolls with a benign curse or hex every now and then.

He continued after her, heart pounding in his chest. Sirius would wonder where he was, as would Moony and Wormtail. Oh well, they could wait. They wouldn't blame him for wanting some extra time with Lily. And God knows it was that extra time that was so important to him.

--

Lily reached the compartment door and, after pulling her cart to a stop, began to struggle with the handle. She shifted her position before trying again, but to no avail. She groaned in annoyance before she slumped against it, closing her eyes.

This was her last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and young Miss Evans was the new Head Girl. She had been working for this ever since her first year when she had learned of the prefect and head system. That was such an amazing year for her. And it all started that beautiful August day that changed her life.

Lily could remember it as if it had occurred yesterday morning. She had been playing in the backyard of her family's middle class home in the suburbs of Little Winging. Her sister, Petunia, was pushing her on the rickety old swing set that their father had made them from scratch a few years before. Tensions had been running high between Lily and her older sister ever since she had become friends with the odd boy that lived a short distance away. It had been that boy, Severus Snape, who had almost convinced Lily that she was a witch. For years, strange things had occurred when she was angry, upset, or scared. The happenings had escalated to such an abnormal instance as flooding the backyard with salty sea water and all its inhabitants when Petunia had confronted her about her new friend, saying that Severus smelled like he lived with rotten fish.

As he sister pushed her higher and higher, the swing set had begun to squeak and shift more ominously.

"Lily," Petunia had whined after only a few pushes. "Let's go inside. This isn't any fun."

She stopped pushing altogether, letting Lily slow to a stop before shooting her a glare.

"Look Tuney," Lily said. "You can get on and I will push you if you want. But I don't really want to go inside. Mum said that she needed help with dinner, and you know what that means."

Petunia had moaned incoherently at this, still giving her sister a look. If there was one thing that she hated even more than Severus Snape, it was being roped in to help her mother around the house. She didn't know why, but housework was just something Petunia didn't do.

But before she could voice her consent, the main beam above Lily's head gave a loud snap and broke cleanly in two. It had crashed down upon the younger sister, burying her under a pile of wooden debris. Petunia let out an unearthly shriek and ran into the house, screaming for her parents.

From what Lily had been told later, her sister had walked in on a very odd meeting. Her parents had heard the collapse and scream from the parlor and had made their way to the back of the house with a very strange looking person in their wake. The man was tall with silver hair and a beard long enough to braid. Yet, it was his clothes that made him even more unusual: a royal purple pinstriped suit paired with matching violet ankle height boots that made a slight click clacking sound with each step. Petunia had fallen momentarily silent at the sight of him, but quickly regained her voice when her parents asked what had happened.

She had brought them out to the backyard, where Lily was hidden from view. Frantically, she explained what had happened, tears streaming down her face. As Mr. Evans hurried towards the heap of broken and splintered wood, the funny looking man finally spoke.

"Leave it to me, Robert."

From his waistband, the man pulled out a long stick of wood. He did some sort of fancy hand work and the mound of debris rose nearly 6 feet into the air and hung there, unsupported. But, where the young girl should have been there was merely a lily flower, whole despite the splintered wood it had been buried under.

At the site of this, Petunia had momentarily fallen silent before letting out an outrageous wail and clinging to her mother as if her life depended on it. The man walked over to where the lily was and picked it up, holding it tenderly in his old hands. He looked around the spacious yard, his eyes coming to a rest on the old shed in the back left hand corner. He made his way confidently to it and, once he reached it, tapped it once with the stick he had used to levitate the remains of the girls' beloved swing set. The bolted door swung open, releasing the old, stale smelling air. He took a step in.

Lily was curled up on her side in the fetal position, hands shielding her head from the debris that would never fall on it. Short whimpers were all that could be heard as she shook slightly.

The Evans had followed the man into the shed and had scrambled to procure their daughter the moment they saw her. After being taken back into the house and cleaned up and calmed down, she and Petunia formally met the unusual man.

He introduced himself as Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of a boarding school called Hogwarts.

It was right then and there that she found out she was definitely a witch. In all honesty, she had never really believed Severus when he told her about the wizarding world, though she wanted to. It was one of the happiest days of her life, but also one of the saddest. There was a sort of invisible barrier that now separated her and her sister, her best friend. Even her eleven year old self seem to understand that they now belonged in separate worlds and that nothing could ever change that.

Lily suddenly broke out of her reverie.

"Evans! You okay?"

Ugh. It was that James Potter. She couldn't resist rolling her eyes. He had only spoken three words to her and she was already annoyed. Personal space was virtually nonexistent whenever Potter was around.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine." she replied, keeping her voice unemotional and flat.

He gave her a roguish grin that often melted the hearts of the entire female population of Hogwarts, though it didn't even thaw hers slightly.

"I saw you having a time with that door. May I be of some assistance?" he joked, bowing low like a house elf and looking up at her, his playful smirk still in place.

There went another eye roll at his childish antics. She pulled out her wand and tapped the handle, muttering "Alohomora " under her breath. The door clicked open and she pulled it open before stepping into it. But on the way up, she lost her footing and fell slightly sideways. Lily clamped her eyes shut and screwed her face up in anticipation of the impact that would surely happen.

But it never did.

Strong arms had caught her while she was still in the air. One was under her knees, the other the small of her back. She was being carried bridal style into the compartment. Her mind couldn't catch up with what was going on around her. She looked to her right and emerald met amber. James Potter was carrying her into the Head's compartment. His arms were a lot stronger than she had assumed.

He sat her down in a soft, velvety seat. Her senses began to reawaken as he put his hands on her upper arms and looked closely into her eyes. His breath was warm on her face and smelled faintly of peppermint and chocolate.

Lily began to take in her surroundings: this compartment was like no other she had ever been in before. The squashy seats were upholstered in red velvet with golden tassels and embroidery. The walls were painted with matching Gryffindor lions that prowled in their confines, silent but intimidating and brave nonetheless.

James was still looking at her uncertainly. She suddenly noticed how close he was and pushed him away, beginning to stand. She blinked furiously a couple of times before glaring at him.

"As much as I appreciate being man handled by you, you really need to leave."

There was a venom in her voice that caught him unawares. She even seemed surprised by it herself.

"Sorry." He retorted, a smug smile gracing his features. "But I have a meeting that takes place right here as soon as we leave."

Huh? She couldn't breathe. There was no way in hell that James Potter, marauder and prankster extraordinaire, was Head Boy. It had to be some sort of a sick joke.

But it wasn't. He pulled the shiny golden badge out of his pocket, handing it to her. It read "Head Boy" in a fancy, curly script identical to hers. She flipped it over and on the back his name had been engraved in the same font.

Lily glanced up at him once more.

"But…I don't understand…how?" she stuttered, still confused.

He shrugged nonchalantly, and took the badge back. He was still smiling pleasantly, as though it wasn't unusual for her to find out that the most maddening person on the face of the planet would be her "partner", for lack of a better word, for the incoming year. She was going to have to work with him patrolling the corridors in the evenings, and would even have to share the Head's dormitory with him. Oh my God. She was going to be stuck with Potter, alone, in a dormitory.

"You do realize what this means, don't you?" Did he even realize that he had duties now, very specific duties? He wouldn't be able to be the joker he and his friends were so accustomed to. He was going to have to grow up, whether he liked it or not.

"I sure do." he replied, feigning seriousness. "I won't be able to prank the Slytherins anymore. Lucky gits."

A fresh smile split through the grim façade and a chuckle escaped his lips. Lily couldn't help but make a face at his overconfidence.

"No, you pompous ass! You can't go gallivanting around the castle anymore! No more strutting around as if you're the Minister for Magic! You have responsibilities now, and you need to realize that."

James little stricken for a moment before his usual demeanor resurfaced.

"Aw, come on Lily flower. You know I won't let you down! Besides, with my knowledge of the castle and your intellect, we can do whatever it is we need to do."

Lily let out a huff of frustration and sat back down, refusing to look at him. She stared out of the window for a moment and simply took it all in. Here she was, with the new Head Boy who just so happened to be the boy who had lusted after her for years. That's right, lusted. He may have claimed it was love, but Lily knew otherwise. He was a hormonal, teenage boy incapable of love.

A flash of gold caught her eye. She turned to her side and saw the very person she needed right then.

"Mary!"

She pushed by James and clambered down the compartment steps towards her best friend. Mary Macdonald was Lily's closest ally and had been ever since that first trip on the Hogwarts Express. Her big blue eyes gave the illusion of innocence, but she was more of a free spirit than anything. It was this factor that really drew the two together. They balanced each other out and kept everything going with their combined wit and uncanny ability to finish each others thoughts.

"Oh, Lily! I missed you!"

Mary threw her arms around her pal and hugged her tightly. A group of male underclassmen had gathered nearby and were eyeing the two gorgeous seventh years with obvious desire. They pulled away and Lily hurriedly explained about James being Head Boy.

"Are you serious?"

Mary was completely flabbergasted by Dumbledore's choice. She and James had grown up together and were next door neighbors. They had been best friends for a long time and were still close now, though his maturity (or lack thereof) had kind of driven them apart. But Head Boy? He was not dependable enough and definitely not serious enough.

"Yes, unfortunately. What am I going to do, Mary?" Lily was reaching the point of hysteria. "I can't work with him, let alone live with him! And you know he has such a disregard for the rules! We don't need a Head Boy that is in detention every other week!"

"Look Lily," Mary was often times the only person capable of calming Lily. "Dumbledore obviously thought that you would be the best one for the job. He knows that you can somewhat control James. You will be fine. And if he pulls anything, I will get Sirius and Remus to beat his ass."

That thankfully got a short giggle out of Lily, putting her in a better mood than before. Mary was right; Dumbledore wouldn't have put her in that position unless he really thought she could handle it. Maybe he even thought Potter could to and, though it was a risk on his part, maybe the bigheaded wonder would surprise them all in the end.

Just then, a couple of fifth year Hufflepuff boys approached them and asked if they would like any help getting their trunks on the train. Not wanting to be rude (cough, cough) the girls thanked them and told them which carriage.

"Well, you had better go get ready for the meeting from hell." Mary said, trying to keep the conversation light.

Lily smiled and bade her friend goodbye, asking her to let their other friends know where she was.

Mary agreed and went on her way, leaving Lily to fend for herself against the insufferable James Potter.

--

He watched the display of friendship with disgust. Those two mudbloods were going to get theirs someday soon. The anticipation of seeing the horrified looks on those pretty little faces was what kept him going. They would soon see what the power of the Dark Lord could do to those of such unworthiness.

The blonde one was stunning, but Mulciber had pretty much claimed her for his kill. She had a great figure and startling eyes that seemed to know everything about you. But it was well known that the womanizer Sirius Black was after her too, though for much different reasons.

It was the fiery red head that he had chosen for his first slay. Her hair fell in soft waves to the small of her back and her bright green eyes never looked his way. Her name was Lily Evans and she was going to pay.

--

The train took off with a whistle and burst of steam. James couldn't believe that he was off for his final year of schooling before going into the real world. Lily refused to talk to him and was currently staring dolefully out the window, avoiding eye contact. The only movement in the room was that of the two lions, scratching behind an ear or licking a paw. The silence was beginning to drive him insane. He had to say something.

"Look Lily." He began, not really knowing what he was going to say, or what point he was going to make. "I know you are a little disappointed that I'm Head Boy," Lily quirked an eyebrow. "Well, maybe really disappointed, but what I am trying to say is that…that…er, I will behave if you will."

It took her by surprise. Was this another joke? No, she didn't think so. He looked like he really meant it.

"Okay."

"Okay? Just like that?"

"Yes, just like that. I think it is about time we called a truce."

"Really?"

"I suppose so. Besides, Dumbledore will have enough on his mind this year without the two of us bickering at every little issue."

He smiled again, confident that this was going to be a much better year. But now Lily was all business.

"Well, we had better get started on the scheduling. We have to com up with Hogsmeade dates and of course patrolling timetables for each prefect and ourselves. And Professor Slughorn hinted about needing help planning his parties this year, so chances are we will end out being roped into that. Oh, and we can't forget the heightened security measures that Professor McGonagall mentioned in the letter."

James stared at her for a moment, mouth slightly open.

She couldn't restrain a slight chuckle at the look on his face. This was going to be interesting. So, they got started.

As they were nearly halfway to the station where they would get off and continue on to the school, a deafening clamor split through the air, followed by a serious of bright flashes of light. The train jerked to a sudden halt, the heavy bangs and numerous yells indicating that luggage was falling off the racks in every compartment.

Lily and James shared a look before jumping to their feet, wands at the ready. He slid the door open slowly, straining his ears for any noise. They heard a final thump and the lights flickered and died. A fresh wave of screams rent through the air and prompted the Heads to venture further out into the hallway. The braver and more curious of the people in the surrounding compartments began to poke their heads out of their doors, eyes squinting in the darkness. Lily and James, however, didn't notice. They were making their way to the very front of the car, to where the conductor was. They moved slowly, carefully, and deliberately.

Reaching the door wasn't the hard part: getting it open was. James tugged on it a few times before giving up and taking out his wand. He used the same charm Lily had on their compartment door earlier, but it didn't work. He frowned in confusion and turned to Lily. She stepped forward and muttered a few words in a hushed voice and tapping the handle a few times with her wand. This time it worked. She opened the door hesitantly.

They both gasped.

Inside was the mangled and obviously dead body of the conductor. His hair was messier than even James' and his hat had fallen off. Wand in limp hand and cloak slightly askew, it was evident that he had fought back at whoever had staged the attack and committed his murder.

The site of the dead body shook Lily to the core. Without really realizing it, she clung to James' arm tightly. They backed away from the door and James closed it with a flick of his wand. Another look was exchanged and they both had a sudden understanding that needed no words: they had to get everyone off the train immediately.

They started in their car, instructing everyone to line up behind them as Lily cautiously opened the exit, to the unknown.

She was shaking with nerves as the door opened fully, revealing a horrible site.

There were Death Eaters, nearly a hundred of them, all staring straight at her. The grass they were standing one seemed to wither in their presence and the fields behind them were completely void of any living creature. Her mind went blank. She saw the one nearest her raise a wand.

"Come forward and drop your wand. If you listen and do everything we say, you and your schoolmates will not be harmed."

Lily couldn't move even if she had wanted to. But she knew she had to act. She knew she had to do something. It was her and James' jobs to do what was right for the students and to help them in times of need. She knew that doing what these brainless oafs wanted wasn't in her peers' best interest. It was time to fight.

She raised her wand a little higher and spoke in what she hoped was a strong, courageous voice.

"No. You will all lower your wands and leave us. You have no business here."

Laughter pounded in her ears, jeering, hateful laughter. The man in the front walked slowly towards her. He raised a hand into the air and the other Death Eaters stopped laughing at once.

"You listen here you filthy little Mudblood-"

But he never finished his sentence. Someone behind he cried "Stupefy!" and a red stream of light hit the man square in the chest. He keeled over and then there was chaos.

Lily ducked and pulled the people around her down as jets of multicolored lights flew over their heads. She pointed her wand at the door and shrieked "Coloportus!" The door shut with a bang and sealed itself with a loud, squelching noise.

For a moment, all you could hear was the heavy breathing of those in the car and the muffled yells of those outside it. She looked to her left at James.

"There has got to be some way to communicate with the people in other cars. We need to tell them to get ready to fight."

He nodded as he reached into a pocket on the inside of his robes. He pulled out what looked like a normal, square little mirror. He urgently spoke into it.

"Padfoot? Sirius? Where are you mate?"

Lily looked on in amazement as Sirius Black's face appeared in the mirror, handsome as ever, though with his eyebrows furrowed in worry and confusion.

"Where the bloody hell are you Prongs? There are tons of Death Eaters outside trying to get in!"

"Keep them out and get ready to fight. The first years won't know any magic yet, so each fifth, sixth, and seventh year needs to pair up with one. Which car are you in?"

"Alright. The last one, of course. Remus is here and so is Wormtail."

"Okay. I have no idea how we can communicate with the other cars…unless," he paused, glancing at Lily nervously. "Get Peter to do his thing, you know?"

Sirius looked back at him confusedly for a moment before a look of understanding dawned on him.

"Alright! Pete!" he turned away from the mirror for a moment and spoke in hushed voices with someone next to him, undoubtedly Peter.

"But be sure to get into an empty compartment first!" James half yelled, half whispered, trying to get Sirius' attention. His friend nodded and issued a "Be careful Prongs" before the screen went blank.

Lily looked at him skeptically then groaned, "I'll ask later."

They stood and looked over the seated crowd, proceeding to tell them what James had just relayed to Sirius. For some reason, it suddenly hit Lily how young they all looked. Both Heads hadn't changed into their school robes yet, along with pretty much all of their audience. They were about to face some of the worlds worst people. They had to be prepared.

"…disarming spell, and of course stupefy. Any jinxes, curses, or hexes will work too." James seemed to think the same thing.

"Alright." He said finally glancing around at them all. "It is time to fight."

His eyes lingered on Lily just a little longer than necessary. She gave him a small smile in return as she turned to face the door. There were still muted noises coming from outside. She was scared and there was no way to deny it. But she had to do this.

She pulled out wand again and aimed at the door.

"Alohomora"

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**Well, there you go! Chapter 1 complete! I would really appreciate any comments or corrections you may have or any ideas on how to continue this. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Conclusions and Meetings

Authors Note: Hola

**Authors Note: Hola! I am back with another chapter! I didn't anticipate it to take this long just to get another one up and running, but this project I have to do is insane. I am so relieved that I am nearly done with it! But yeah, here it is and I hope you enjoy and decide to review!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Harry Potter. Ms. JK Rowling does!**

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Chapter 2- Conclusions and Meetings

"Alohomora"

The carriage door opened slowly, as if it too was dreading what was on the other side. Lily was shaking with anticipation. The palpitations of her heart reached a dangerous level as she stepped forward to view the horrendous sight of the masked men.

But she saw no hooded figures. They were gone, replaced by the suddenly awe-inspiring form of Albus Dumbledore. He looked through the doorway and sent her a slight smile before gesturing to the rather severe looking woman at his side. Lily hadn't even noticed her at first, but felt immensely relived nonetheless. Professor McGonagall had been somewhat of a mentor to her, and had always been the face of order.

"What the-"

She had almost forgotten about the others behind her, including James. He stepped forward so he was about a foot in front of her and glanced around at the various teachers and Ministry personnel; Aurors and Healers were everywhere, bustling around and doing their jobs.

McGonagall all but ran towards the two Heads, a slight look of panic on her features. Her face was framed by a few flyaway hairs that had somehow unleashed themselves from her tight bun.

"Come along, come along." Her stern demeanor was still in place as she ordered the students off the train. "Is anyone injured? Line up over here…no, no, over here, Miss Barker."

Lily, however, ignored her Head of House and walked swiftly towards Dumbledore, James following in her wake.

The Headmaster looked unsurprised to see them making their way towards him.

"Professor Dumbledore," Lily began the conversation, glancing back at James as if surprised he was still there. "What happened? Where are the Death Eaters?"

"Well, I would venture to say that the owls sent by nearly 70 students might have alerted the staff and Ministry in time," he smiled down at the pair, though his eyes seriously lacked their usual sparkle. "I believe it is just a shame we missed most of them as they Disapparated the moment we arrived."

"But why were they here?" James finally spoke up. "What did they want?"

"Ah," Dumbledore sighed, for the first time looking rather diminished. "I am afraid we can only speculate their reasoning. Though, I believe that Lord Voldemort wished to relay a message to me. He will be pleased to know that I got it."

And with that he turned from them and walked in the opposite direction, towards a somewhat sallow looking man with waxy flesh. His dark gray hair was cut short on his head, making his seemingly colorless eyes appear large and quite unnerving. The two shared a few words before the man nodded solemnly and stalked away from the headmaster, towards the back of the train.

Lily fully turned to James. She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a voice from behind.

"What the bloody hell just happened?"

Sirius Black was half running, half limping to their side. Mary was right beside him with his right arm over her shoulder.

"Where did those mangy, lowlifes go?" he continued, looking put out by the nonexistent fight everyone was sure would have occurred. "I wanted to find dear old cousin Bellatrix and curse the living daylights out of her sorry ass!"

He got a stern look from Professor McGonagall who was about to step on the train.

"Should we tell her about the conductor?" James questioned Lily, uncertainly.

"Probably…she needs to know."

He jogged up to her side and immediately began telling the bad news in low tones, as to not alert the students around them.

Lily turned back to Sirius and Mary.

"What happened to you? Did you get hit with a curse or something?"

Sirius reddened slightly, glancing at Mary who chuckled and answered for him.

"He tripped over a first year while trying to 'check on' me."

Lily sent Mary an incredulous look who turned to Sirius and did the same.

"Err, I hate to break it to you Sirius, but Mary is probably the best dueler in our year. I thought you knew that."

He looked guiltily at her before replying, "I know, I know. I just couldn't remember at the time…"

The group of three laughed in a slightly subdued manner. It was obvious that they were all still shaken up and worried. As far as anyone could tell there had been no casualties or injuries.

James made his way back to the three friends with the ever pale Remus Lupin and the pudgy, round boy whose name Lily could never remember following behind him.

When they reached the group, James let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. The group stood in silence for a long time, staring at the ground or the fields in front of them which were now littered with students and faculty.

It was a Ministry official that finally broke the uneasiness that had settled over everyone.

"If I can have everyone's attention please!"

His narrow, aged voice wasn't nearly strong enough to carry over the din of hundreds of voices, a fact which he must have realized, for he put his wand to his throat and muttered "Sonorus". A moment later, his voice could be heard through the noise and echoed back from the empty countryside.

"If I can have everyone's attention please. I need all first years to come forward at this time and board the first two carriages."

There was a scramble as the new students rushed forward to the scarlet engine, afraid of being left behind. It took a few minutes for them to all get on and settled, but as soon as they were, the man announced the boarding rights of the second years to the third and fourth carriages and on and on until the seniors were permitted into the last two cars.

Just as Lily and James were about to board, an extremely short, wispy looking man with a small little indigo hat upon his colorless hair grabbed their attention.

"Oh, hello Professor Flitwick." Lily smiled down at him, as he only reached her waist.

"Good afternoon," he replied somewhat distractedly. "The Headmaster has asked for you two to go sit with the first years. There are a few who are pretty disturbed by these events. Not that we all aren't." He added kindly.

The pair exchanged a glance before feigning a complete desire to assist the younger ones in any way. The minuscule man led them to the first carriage and, with a wave goodbye, scurried to another car.

James turned to Lily and offered a sort of disbelieving smirk before opening the door for her and allowing her to enter.

It was going to be an interesting next few hours.

--

"But I thought we were all going to die!"

The girl was in hysterics and it was all James could do not to join her. Tears were pouring down her face in bucket loads and the shrieks issuing from her mouth were earsplitting. He had no idea what to do and thought that he was doomed for sure until the compartment door opened revealing Lily.

Her eyes were squinted in confusion as she looked from the pigtailed girl to James, kneeling on the floor in front of her with her hands enveloped in his. He was trying to comfort the screaming child, but apparently nothing would work.

She released his hands and put them over her face, muffling her wails. Lily made her way over as James stood, completely defeated. He glanced over at her and shrugged, palms up.

She surprised them both by patting him on the shoulder. The heat from her hand was comforting and made him feel a warm sensation in his abdomen. When she removed her hand to sit next to the girl, the heat almost completely left him.

Lily placed an arm around the crying her and gently pulled her to her chest. Her entire body was racking with sobs, but after only a few minutes of being held so tenderly, they had nearly subsided entirely.

"What's your name?" she asked her quietly, making the conversation seem much more private and caring.

She took a deep, shuddering breath before answering. "Alma. Alma Diggory."

"Well it is very nice to meet you Alma. My name is Lily and this is James." Lily spoke very carefully and gestured to James who smiled down at the girl with a sincere look in his eyes.

"Do you have a big brother?" he asked her obviously trying to keep the conversation going. He knew an Amos Diggory…Hufflepuff chaser.

"Yeah." She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "His name is Amos. Have you seen him? Is he okay?"

This brought on a fresh wave of tears and worries for her brothers welfare. James tried to get her attention again by kneeling once more in front of her and speaking.

"I saw him just before we all got on the train. He was asking people if they had seen you. He will be very happy to see you when we reach the castle. Has he ever told you about the castle?"

James continued rambling on, though he felt rather foolish. But as long as little Alma was calm and responding, he swore he wouldn't stop until she was at least content. Lily observed the way he was interacting with the young girl as she stroked her light brown hair. James was being much more mature than she ever could have anticipated. The gentleness in which he handled Alma was quite a shock.

She hadn't realized she was staring until he made eye contact and smiled softly. She returned it with one of her own. The look in his light hazel eyes was comforting.

James gestured down at Alma, who had somehow fallen asleep without Lily noticing. He reached down and offered Lily a hand who took it after taking her arms away from the sleeping eleven year old.

He helped her to her feet and led the way to the hallway. Once they were safely out the door with it closed behind them, Lily was finally able to breathe again normally. Or, at least, a little better seeing as her hand was still grasped firmly in James'.

"I must say that I am pleasantly surprised, Potter."

He couldn't help but let out a slight chortle before replying, "That shocking, eh?"

She nodded yes, smirking slightly.

"Well, I'll have you know that I am the unofficial babysitter of the Potter clan." He proclaimed, ginning widely at her somewhat shocked expression. "What? I am!"

Lily rolled her eyes in a humorous manner and was about to retort when the duo nearly ran into someone.

The women looked to be in her early to mid twenties with short, brown spiky hair. Her oval shaped face was gorgeous and her shining brown eyes held a sense of playful mystery that Lily had only recently come to accustom to James Potter.

The boy in question still held her hand, though much more loosely than before. One look into his eyes told her why: he thought this lady was pretty. She was, Lily acknowledged glumly, releasing his hand immediately. She had to remind herself that this was Potter. He was a guy, a hormonal, teenage, guy. She shouldn't be offended. But she could shake off the feeling that she was.

"I am so sorry!" the lady said pleasantly, glancing down as Lily disconnected their hands. "I need to watch where I am going. I nearly ran over poor little Filius a little while ago."

She laughed openly at this. James did too, much louder than necessary. Lily, on the other hand, only offered a weak smile and averted her eyes. Charms was her favorite class (next to Potions, of course), and she honestly didn't appreciate this woman's slight on Professor Flitwick's height issue.

"Oh, I am Phoebe Tancid, by the way," they both gave her a slightly confused looks before she added, "the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Both James' and Lily's stomachs plummeted at this; for James', she was off limits flirting wise (for the most part), and for Lily, because she was going to have to deal with all the boys in her class drooling over her.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you." James spoke up, trying to make a very good first impression. "My name is James Potter and-"

"And you are the Head Boy," she interrupted, her smile still in place. "Which means you must be Miss Lily Evans."

Lily smiled and shook the outstretched hand. Her new Professor's grip was too tight to be considered friendly, a fact that was confirmed by the raised eyebrow and rude, unwelcoming smirk that played across her full lips.

Of course, never one to be underestimated, Lily returned the look with the same mutiny. She couldn't help but feel that a small victory had been achieved by the surprised look on Tancid's face, though it was only momentary.

James, completely unaware of the obvious insolence both of the females held for each other, kept a smile on his face as the new teacher excused herself from the pair, saying that she had "other business" to attend to.

"But it was so nice to meet the two of you." She smiled at James and sent Lily a glare as she walked away, swishing her hip seductively.

--

It was nearly midnight when the scarlet steam engine pulled into Hogsmeade Station, where they were met with what must have been the entire population of the only completely magical community in Britain. Lily was still rather miffed with James, but was at least being cordial. After assisting with getting the younger students off the train, they met up with Mary, Sirius, Remus, and Peter (the chubby boy).

Mary and Lily sort of shied away from the rowdy bunch, after Lily told her friend that she really needed to talk to her.

"About what?" She asked, concerned.

"Well, James and I met our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Lily said with distaste and retold the story of the meeting, only leaving out the fact that she and James had been holding hands.

"There is just something about her that I don't trust, Mary." She confided, looking down at the dirt road that led to the horseless carriages morosely. "She hated me, I know she did."

Mary nodded and said simply, "Well, we can't pick our teachers, so I guess we are just going to have to make the best out of the situation."

That was something that Lily really liked about her best friend. No matter how dull or horrible a situation seemed, Mary could always find a way to cheer you up while giving you good, useful advice. She was right; it wasn't up to the students to select who taught the class. But at least she would have Mary in there with her and they could endure "Rancid Tancid" as Lily had dubbed the woman, together.

But she still couldn't shake the feeling that there was some about this Phoebe Tancid that just wasn't right. She was up to something, Lily finally concluded, and by God, she was going to find out what.

--

**And there is Chapter 2! It isn't quite as long as the first chapter, but that's okay. So, questions, comments, concerns, and everything else is welcomed! I want to know what you think and any ideas you may have for how to continue the story! Thanks!!**


	3. Dreams and Nightmares

Authors Note- And again

**Authors Note- And again! Here is chapter 3, for your viewing pleasure! Just want to give a BIG thanks to chameron-fan, shetlandlace, and ndubs for being awesome reviewers! I really appreciate it you guys! Thanks! **

--

Chapter 3- Dreams and Nightmares

For the first time in hundreds of years, there was no welcoming feast at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The older students, minus Lily, James, and the sixth and seventh year prefects, all went straight up to their common rooms and dormitories after learning the new passwords. The sorting was going to take place quickly in the Entrance Hall, much to the Sorting Hat's displeasure.

The only non first year or prefect attending was Amos Diggory, holding tight to his little sister's hand. Lily had helped the drowsy child find her big brother as soon as they met again on the grounds. Alma still looked absolutely terrified when she had seen her, a look that slightly dissipated when she saw the Head Girl heading her way. They walked into the huge room together, Alma's eyes wide in wonder.

"Alma!"

A loud call from behind them caught their attention. There was Amos, pushing through the thick crowd to reach his sister. He was very good looking, Lily noticed somewhat shamefully. His grey eyes were friendly and his dark hair was cut short, showing off his high cheekbones. The smile on his face was so true as he scooped little Alma into his arms and twirled her through the air, kissing her once on the forehead.

James had seen this sweet display of affection from over Lily's shoulder. She hadn't become aware of his presence, and he wanted to keep it that way. This was his only chance to really look at her without her noticing or snapping at him to go away. Her long, wavy dark red hair had grown more over the summer and now reached the small of her back. Her height hadn't changed at all, he noted smiling. In their first year, they had been the same height, something her swore would change. Now he towered about a head above her. He knew that if she had been facing him, her emerald eyes would be dancing with happiness at the sight of such a heartwarming reunion.

The sorting began as the rest of the hall cleared out, the new Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins coming to stand next to the prefects of their respective houses. One of the new Gryffindors was a tiny little boy with dark black hair. When James looked at him he had to do a double take; he was like a miniature Sirius. His hair hung low into his silvery eyes and, though he still looked nervous, he had a haughty air to him that mirrored the flirtatious seventh year.

James turned to Lily to ask who he was, but her voice cut him off.

"Does Sirius have a younger brother?"

"Yeah, Regulus, but he is in Slytherin. What was the kid's name?"

Lily thought for a moment before whispering to the prefect on her other side. He said something quietly back and winked at her. James felt a tightening in his stomach at the coy behavior. Lily looked back at James before answering.

"His name is Nigellus Prewett. He looks an awful lot like Sirius though. Cousins, maybe?"

James nodded. "Probably. Something tells me his parents won't be too thrilled about him being in Gryffindor if he is related to the Blacks."

She gave him a sideways glance as the sorting ended, not having to wonder why not. There had been some funny things said about the Blacks, most of which she could recall learning in her first couple of years in the wizarding world. They were pure blood maniacs and believed that muggles should be stomped out altogether. But everyone knew that Sirius didn't share their vicious views; he openly denied them and, on one occasion in third year, charmed banners reading "Muggle-borns' are groovy!" to follow his cousin Bellatrix Black around for a week.

--

After getting all of the first years safely into the common room (which proved quite a feat with Peeves floating about), Lily began to make her way up to her old dormitory. It was now nearing two o'clock in the morning and she felt dead on her feet. She never remembered the stairs being this hard to climb before and after a bit of huffing and puffing, finally made it to the room she shared with Mary, Marlene McKinnon, and Alice Prewett. She had half a mind to ask Alice about Sirius' mini-me because of her surname, but stopped when she noticed something missing in the room.

"Where is my bed?"

Lily felt like screaming it, but kept her voice low as not to wake Marlene who was not a very nice person when she didn't get her rest.

Mary turned to her and smiled. "It is in your new dormitory, remember? The one you get to share with James."

She had completely forgotten. With the attack on the Hogwarts Express still on her mind, her new living arrangements had been forced out. She sighed and bade her two conscious friends good night before heading back down the stairs. It wasn't until she reached the common room that she realized she didn't know where the Heads' quarters were.

Her mind was becoming foggy from lack of sleep and her eyes began to droop. She stumbled over to the plush red couch and lay down on it, sure that she only needed to rest her eyes for a moment. Then she would go find James and see if he knew where they would be living. James was smart…he would find out…

Her eyes closed fully and darkness enveloped her.

--

The room was cold and smelled horrible. Everything was dark and dusty, but she was not alone. Someone was seated next to her on the hard ground.

"Lily? Is that you?"

"James?" she heard herself question, struggling against the ropes that bound her wrists and ankles.

"Oh thank God you are alright. I thought I had lost you." His voice shook with emotion.

Lily was confused. "Lost me? What is going on James?"

But he didn't have time to answer. With a resounding bang, a door flew open on the wall in front of them, flooding the room with light. It was too bright to see who the lone figure was standing in the doorway. Whoever it was had to be a man judging by his cackle as he raised his wand high in the air and pointed it at Lily and James.

"Your time is over. Give me your answer. Now!"

Silence rang throughout the room for what must have been a full minute until he spoke again.

"No answer? Then pay the price. Crucio!"

Lily felt pain that she had never known before run through her body. Her skin was peeling off and her hair was pulled out in large clumps. Someone was above her, stabbing her in the chest, arms, legs, everywhere. She writhed in agony as the torture continued on and on. She could hear herself screaming in misery and woe, and prayed to die. She begged for the sweet numbness of death. And then just like that, it was over. She ground beneath her was still hard and she could feel her body racking with sobs. But she knew she was still alive.

"No! Leave her out of this! Take me! Please!"

James' voice cracked under the strain of his bellows. She could hear the tears in his voice. Lily wanted so badly to be able to tell him she was okay. To tell him that she was fine now. But she couldn't; her voice wouldn't work and she was still breathless from the suffering that had been inflicted on her.

"No. I don't think I will. It is time for this little mudblood to learn her place in the world."

The last thing Lily remembered was a bright flash of green light and I strangled yell before she awoke with a start.

Her entire body was covered in a thin layer of sweat. She felt something cool on her forehead and struggled to open her eyes. The light in the common room was very dim and warm due to the fire flickering in the hearth nearby. There was someone kneeling over her, dabbing her forehead with a cool, damp cloth. She blinked a couple of times as a face came into focus.

Large, blue eyes stared into hers uncertainly. A long, thin nose was only about an inch away from her own. Large, elephantine ears completed the ensemble. It occurred to Lily that she was in the company of a house-elf.

She tried to slowly sit up, holding her now throbbing head. The creature looked up at her for a moment before bowing low and muttering a quick, "Bulby is glad to see that miss is awake."

Its voice was high pitched and thin, making Lily squint her eyes unconsciously as the sound hit her eardrums. She nodded rather confusedly before issuing a soft thank you.

"Does miss need anything? Bulby would be more than happy to get some tea and biscuits from the kitchens, or perhaps a Pepper-up potion from the infirmary."

"Oh, no thank you." Lily smiled politely as she was struck with an idea. "But could you by any chance help me find something?"

He (she had decided it must have been male) gazed up at her gleefully, as if he wished nothing more than to be ordered around. "Of course miss! What is it you are needing help finding?"

"Do you know where the Head's dormitory is?"

His eyes found his way down to the golden badge pinned to her robes before saying joyously, "Oh yes! What an honor to meet the Head Girl! It is right through here miss, though I am unaware of the password."

He led her to the notice board on the other side of the room. It was void of any information or posters. But upon closer inspection, Lily noticed something she had never seen before: in the top, right hand corner, there was a miniscule golden lion with blood red rubies for eyes and luminescent pearls for his long teeth. A diamond collar encircled his neck, glinting in the firelight. Almost as if he had been expecting her, the lion turned his head in her direction and let out a soft roar. She paused for a moment before murmuring the first word that came to mind.

"Phoenix."

The lion bowed to her and, with a blink of his crimson eyes, a gilded door appeared. The notice board was at the center of it, almost melted into the now wooden planks that permitted them to enter. Bulby glanced at her before walking in her wake, hesitantly.

The room was like a miniature of the Gryffindor common room: red and gold surfaces everywhere, two identical stairways going in opposite directions, a glowing fireplace with plenty of kindling to last the next few months. Lily sighed happily as she made her way around the room, poking here or there to familiarize herself with the place. She walked up the stairs closest by, and found herself in another smaller version of a well loved room.

Her dorm looked just like the one she had lived in for the past six years, except for a couple of big things: there was only one bed, the connecting bathroom was all hers, and the presence of a large, oak desk. She had always wanted a nice, peaceful place to work without having to worry about anyone interrupting her, which happened frequently in the library or common room.

Lily made her way over to the window. She could just make out a gorgeous view of the forest, Hagrid's hut, and the lake through the early morning darkness. Nearly a quarter of the Quidditch pitch peeked out at her from the right side of the window frame. She sat on the plush window seat and leaned back into the pillows.

A knock from the doorway pulled her from her reverie.

Little Bulby smiled at her shyly, whispering, "I think miss does not require my help anymore. But, if I am ever needed, I will always be in the kitchens."

He turned to leave, but stopped at Lily's next words.

"Thank you Bulby. And it was very nice to meet you."

The elf twisted back around and gave her a look of pure appreciation and beamed before disappearing with a loud crack.

Lily took off her shoes and stocking slowly as she eyed her bed. It looked the same, but for some reason, it had never been more beautiful. A sense of wholesome giddiness took over her and with a laugh, she jumped onto her bed and settled into the covers. As she closed her eyes for the second time that early, early morning, the nightmare faded from memory. Her dreams were unpolluted by the horrors of the day and she slept peacefully.

--

**For now! Duh, duh, duh! ) Well, that was Chapter three, I hope you enjoyed it and wouldn't mind reviewing. It would make my day! And thanks again to chameron-fan, shetlandlace, and ndubs for their past reviews! **


	4. Surprises

AN: Okay, so it's been forever since I updated…but hey, better late than never, right?

Chapter 4 – Surprises

James Potter was pissed. No, that wasn't a strong enough word for the emotions that had consumed him; he was absolutely livid, he was positively outraged, he…he was mad as hell.

And all because of that slimy ass, Snivellus – ahem, Severus – Snape and his fellow Slytherins.

All James had been doing was walking to the Gryffindor common room after the rushed Sorting ceremony, for once completely innocent and minding his own business, when Snape and his smarmy army of gits (he and Sirius had come up with that moniker over the summer holiday) cornered him on the 4th floor, near the bust of Harold the Heinous.

"Well, if it isn't our new Head Boy, the great James Potter," snarled Snape from behind him. James whipped around to face him head on.

"Ah, Snivelly, still haven't washed your hair, I see."

"Now is not the time for jokes, Potter," Snape ground out, his teeth bared as he pulled his wand out from his robes. "We have a proposition for you."

From the look on his face, James could tell that Snape wasn't too thrilled about this "proposition" and found that, for the first time ever, he actually agreed with the greasy Slytherin; there was no way that anything good would come of their proposal.

Contrary to popular belief, James was not a stupid bloke. He knew the boys that stood with Snape were on the cusp of officially being Voldemort's followers, Death Eaters. So, needless to say, he knew their visit had something to do with the evil lord.

When James didn't speak and just looked at Snape, the beak-nosed teen took the lead.

"As a wizard of distinguished ancestry and…" he took a shuddering breath, proving how unhappy he was with this discussion. "And of above average skill, the Dark Lord would like to extend to you an invitation to join his ranks and become a part of the new wizarding order."

"Tell Voldemort-" James couldn't help but smirk when they all cringed at the sound of the name, "-thanks, but no thanks. I don't like to be on the losing side."

He turned to walk over to the staircase that would lead to the portrait of the Fat Lady, but found himself face to face with even more wanna-be Death Eaters. He felt his eyes narrow at the sight of the young man – boy, he thought to himself – leading this bunch.

Regulus looked so much like his older brother that, sometimes, it was unnerving if the pair was in the same room. But the fifth year's cold black eyes were nothing like Sirius' mirthful grey ones and he had to have been about a head shorter than the fun loving Gryffindor.

"I wouldn't walk away now if I was you, Potter," the younger Black snickered. "The Dark Lord doesn't take kindly to disrespect."

"Well," drawled James, forcing the illusion of ease when, really, he was internally shaking with nerves. "In that case, you can tell Voldemort-" another collective flinch made the corners of his mouth twitch up, "-that he can kiss my lily-white ars-"

"Oh yes," Regulus cackled, his eyes lighting up darkly. "That reminds me! We can't forget about our Head Girl." James stiffened at the mention of Lily. "Don't worry, Potter, the Dark Lord has a plan for the little mudblood whore."

"Don't talk about her like that." James' voice was cold, deadly, and solid. "And leave her out of this."

"Ooh, I see we've touched a nerve," grinned Regulus, flashing a smile at his fellow Slytherins. "Well, I can make you a deal, Potter." He paused, staring the older boy down, making sure he had his undivided attention. "The Dark Lord can be merciful, if given the right reasons and the, heh, the right payment."

James was silent for a moment. He cared deeply about Lily and, though she didn't seem to return those feelings, he would do anything for her. But he knew she would not only be disgusted with him for joining the Death Eaters, but would be offended as well. And mad, he thought wryly, really mad.

"When do you need an answer by?" He whispered the question, glaring at his best friend's younger brother.

Regulus thought about it for a moment before smirking and replying, "By Halloween." He looked James up and down before meeting his eyes again. "We'll be in touch."

And with that, the smarmy army slunk off down the hall. James watched them go, his hands fisted at his sides, breathing heavily.

"Please…" He jumped at the voice and turned towards it. Snape was standing with his head in his hands, face downcast, providing James with the perfect view of the greasy top of his head. "Please, don't let them…don't let them take her…they'll kill her."

James had been stunned into silence, but the mention of death brought him out of his reverie. "If they lay one finger on her, I'll kill them all."

"Good."

Snape looked up and James was shocked to see tears running down his cheeks. With one last stare, Snape left too, following down the same path his comrades had taken.

So yes, James Potter was mad as hell.

And, again thanks to Snape, he was confused as well. Sure, he knew Snape and Lily had been friends, but that had all ended towards the end of their fifth year when the stupid Slytherin had dared to utter that most disgusting word: _mudblood_. Just thinking it made James every more angry.

But Snape clearly still had some feelings for Lily, feelings that, from what James could gather, were most definitely not returned.

He finally made it to the Gryffindor common room, then into the Heads dorm that Professor McGonagall had told him about right after the Sorting. As he made his way to the room he would soon call his own, he felt a pull towards the staircase across from his.

The pull wasn't like what he experienced when traveling by portkey, or when he took off on his broomstick after a long day. No, this pull was different - completely different - from anything he had felt before. It was like a sort of magnetism, some inexplicable attraction.

He had twisted the doorknob and peered into Lily's room before he could even register what he was doing. As he took in her sleeping form, another facet of the pull made itself known. He was overcome with the unwavering need to protect her, his Lily-flower, from anything and everything. He stepped quietly into her room and made his way over to her bedside. Her features were relaxed and she breathed softly through slightly parted lips.

James really did care for her. The thought of Voldemort getting his hands on her…well, it was unimaginable. He knew that he would never be able to live with himself should it ever happen. So there, in that moment, while Lily slept peacefully and was completely unaware of the young man kneeling beside her, James made an oath to her.

He would never let anything happen to her. Ever.

* * *

When Lily awoke the next morning, she felt so refreshed and well rested that she almost forgot about what all had transpired the day before.

Almost.

But reality came crashing down on her as her eyes opened and took in her new room. She recalled the bone-deep fear that had permeated the Hogwarts express the afternoon before, but shook it off as she twisted out of the covers and stood up and stretched.

_It's a new day_, she thought to herself, smiling in spite of all that had transpired_. It's a new day and it's all going to be fine. _

Pulling back her curtains and glancing out the window, Lily took a deep breath and smiled. The fog was thick on the grounds, but was ever so slowly thinning as the sunshine penetrated it with its golden rays. She decided that she was ready for this new day and made her way to the bathroom.

After a quick shower, a hair drying charm, and a discreet amount of make-up, she dressed into her school robes and set off for breakfast.

Just as she reached the foot of her stairway, something grabbed her arm. Without even thinking, Lily pulled her wand from her robes and pointed it at the perpetrator: a groggy looking James Potter.

"Merlin, James! You can't just go around grabbing people when they least expect it," she panted, shoving her wand back into her clothes and clutching her heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, releasing her arm.

There was a moment of awkward silence, broken only by James yawning.

"Well, I think I'm going to head down to breakfast," Lily finally said, motioning to the doorway. The next words that came out of her mouth were a surprise to both of the Heads. "Do you want to join me?"

Taken aback by her request and still a little slow from having woken up a mere ten minutes ago, James stared at her for a moment before replying, "Erm, yeah. Yeah, let's go to breakfast."

The moment the pair stepped foot into the Gryffindor common room, they were initially met with blank stares from the students loitering there. Among those waiting on friends to go down to breakfast were Sirius, Remus, the Peter boy, and Mary. As per usual, it was Sirius that broke the ice.

"Where the hell have the two of you been?"

Mary elbowed him in the stomach and the tall boy jerked forward slightly, rubbing his (now bruised) abdomen. "They were in the heads dorm, you dolt."

"Woah, woah, woah," Sirius said incredulously, glancing back and forth between his best friend and Lily. "You get to share a dorm? What the hell! If I'd known that, I would've at least tried to be made head boy. Especially since Miss Evans is our Head Girl." He winked suggestively at her and was met with a scowl. "Merlin knows I'd like to get a chance to see her coming out of the shower one morning!"

James felt anger bubble up inside him, but before he could so much as reach for his wand, Lily had her wand out and pointed at Sirius, who was now floating upside down.

"Sorry, Black, but something tells me that never would have happened anyway." She smirked at the young man, who was fighting to keep his robes out of his face. "Ready for breakfast?" She asked Mary, who nodded through her giggles. The two witches sauntered off, still smiling.

"Bloody hell," Sirius muttered, still hanging upside down. To James he said, "You sure know how to pick 'em, don't you. Now get me down from here, all the blood rushing to my head is making me dizzy."

"Actually," James said, smirking deviously. "I think we should just let you hang there for a bit. You know, sort out what you did wrong to get yourself in this situation."

"Real funny, Prongs. Now get me the hell down from here!"

"What do you think, Moony," James chuckled, turning to the boy in question. "Should we let the smooth talker down?"

"Nah," Remus laughed, savoring the fact that, for once, it was Sirius upside down in the air and not some random Slytherin. "I don't think he's learned his lesson yet."

Sirius stopped struggling with this robes and gave his friends the most pitiful look he could muster. "Please?"

"Nope," James smirked and he and Remus turned and followed in the girls footsteps.

"Merlin's hairy balls! Some friends you are!"

"I could let you down," a small voice near the fireplace said.

Sirius glanced over and saw that it was Peter.

"Oh, thank Godric! Wormy, please get me down from here!"

The smaller boy smiled and with a wave of his wand, Sirius was released of the spell, landing hard on his side as he fell to the ground.

"Shit, that hurt," he grumbled, sitting up and rubbing his sore shoulder.

"S-Sorry," little Peter stuttered.

"Come on, mate, let's go eat with those stupid gits we call friends."

* * *

"Here are your schedules," Professor McGonagall stated, handing the appropriate paper to each student as she walked along the side of the Gryffindor table.

"Let me see yours," Mary snatched Lily's schedule from her, holding it up next to her own. "Defense…Potions…yep…yep…mhm…"

"Well?"

"We have all but one class together!" she said, smiling up at her best friend. "While you're in Divination I've got Muggle Studies."

Lily looked at her friend disbelievingly. "You're taking Muggle Studies?"

"Yes, everyone who wants to be an Auror that doesn't have at least some muggle background has to take it."

"Well, you know that if you need any help that I'll-"

"What all classes have you got, Lily-flower?" James squeezed into the small space between the two girls, grabbing Lily's agenda from Mary. He did just like the blonde witch had, holding the papers side by side and comparing. "Everything but one. You've got Divination and I've got-"

"Muggle Studies," she finished for him. "That means you and Mary have the same schedule."

He smirked at Mary. "What a coincidence. You know," he leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, glancing down the line of seated Gryffindors to his best friend. "Sirius has the same one too." He winked at Mary and she shoved him into Lily who, having been reaching for a piece of toast, was caught off guard by the young man falling into her. Instinctively, James put him hands up to brace himself, but since he was falling onto someone, not the floor, this proved to be quite an unwise decision.

"POTTER!"

He had grabbed Lily's breast. The right one, to be exact. And it was wonderful.

Well, for a moment, at least.

Before he knew what had happened, he was on the floor with an angry witch standing over him, wand at the ready.

"What the hell was that?"

"I-I'm so sorry! Mary pushed me! I didn't mean to!"

"Yeah James!" Everyone turned to glare at Sirius. "What?" he shrugged. "It's about damn time-"

"Enough!" McGonagall had made her way back down the table to where James was flat on his back on the floor with Lily over him, her wand now down by her side. "Mr. Potter, if you would please upright yourself. You look ridiculous down there. Now," she took a deep breath and sighed, looking down the bench at the seventh year Gryffindors. "Just get to class."

She shook her head and smiled, then walked away.

Lily was still mad at him, but as everyone walked to their first class of the day – Defense against the Dark Arts – he apologized.

"Look, Lily," he started, touching her shoulder softly. She turned and glared at him. "I'm really sorry about all of that. It wasn't intentional, I swear."

Her scowl only lasted a second after that, turning into a little apologetic smile. "It's okay. I know you didn't plan it or anything. But your idiotic best friend," she scowled at Sirius' back as he tried to get Mary's attention ahead of them. "Is really good at making things much more embarrassing than they should be."

"Yeah," James smirked as he held open the door to the classroom to let her go in first. "He's definitely got a talent for that. But you should have seen him last month when we-"

"Can everyone have a seat, please?"

_Rancid Tancid_, Lily thought irritably. _This is going to be miserable. _

* * *

"So, who can tell me the purpose of the Cruciatus curse?" Professor Tancid looked around the room expectantly before calling on the sole female who had her hand raised. "Yes, you, Miss..."

"Prewett, Professor. Alice Prewett."

"Yes, Miss Prewett. Now, what is the purpose of the Cruciatus curse?"

"To cause immense pain and as a form of torture."

"Correct. Five points to Gryffindor. This particular curse was designed…"

Lily tuned the insufferable 'professor' out; the woman was an absolute nightmare. Not only had she called Lily out in front of the entire class for taking too many notes (who does that?), she also took 20 points from Gryffindor for Lily 'being late to class'. Bullshit! She and James had walked in with minutes to spare!

So there she sat, in between James and Mary, seething. She took no notes, she never raised her hand. She just sat there and stared at this woman that she detested so much.

At first, she had no idea why she disliked Tancid so much; maybe she was just jealous of her good looks. No, Lily had decided, it wasn't jealousy at all. There was something wrong with the professor, something was off about her.

"The worst of the Unforgivable Curses, however, is…Mr. Potter?"

James glanced up from his notes. " The, err, Killing Curse."

"The incantation?"

"Avada Kedavra," he said, glancing around nervously.

"Yes, five more points for Gryffindor. The Killing Curse is, as I'm sure you all know, the staple of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…"

Lily zoned out once more, not interested in listening to the continuous gloom and doom Rancid Tancid was spewing out. As if every single one of us didn't already know what she was 'teaching' us!

Morgana Vane, a Ravenclaw sitting a row in front of her had lost both of her parents to the Killing Curse. A Hufflepuff named Richard Dawlish across the room from her had a dead sister and older brother in St. Mungos undergoing treatment for injuries sustained under the Imperius Curse. And sitting a couple rows behind her was Rosamund Ipswich, a fellow Gryffindor, whose parents, grandparents, and two younger siblings had been murdered by Death Eaters.

None of us needed this woman telling us all about the curses we already knew so much about.

After what seemed like an eternity, class finally ended. As the students gathered their things, the group of Gryffindors looking forward to their free period, Rancid Tancid called out, "Miss Evans! A word, please."

Lily groaned low enough for only James and Mary to hear and, in her haste to get to the awful woman (because, the way she looked at it, the faster she spoke to the hag, the sooner she'd get to go to her room and let all of her frustration out on her pillow), missed the concerned look James gave her.

She made her way up to Tancid's desk as the classroom cleared out behind her.

"Yes, Professor?"

"I must say, Miss Evans, that I am rather disappointed in you."

Lily was taken aback. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Shut up. Listen to me, you little brat. I will not stand any disrespect in my classroom, especially from some like you." She leaned forward over her desk, hands splayed across the dark wood, her black eyes never leaving Lily's green ones. "If you wish to pass my class – and become an Auror – I suggest you stay out of my way. I won't be so kind again."

"Professor," Lily started slowly, rage coursing through her veins. "May I ask a question?"

"Well, seeing as you already have wasted my time, I suppose I don't have too much more to lose to you."

"What, exactly did you mean by 'someone like' me?"

"Stupid girl," Tancid sneered. "I meant a mudblood. Now get out of my sight."

Lily turned to leave but, when she reached the door, couldn't resist. She turned around and smirked.

"And Professor, one last thing." Tancid glared at her, but couldn't hide her surprise and confusion at being addressed after such a final dismissal. "I suggest you stay out of _my_ way. This mudblood doesn't back down easily."

She slipped out of the open door and was able to keep her composure until she was in the confines of her room. As she gently closed her door behind her, the last of her adrenaline faded and she pressed her back against the cool wood, sliding down until she was seated. Then the tears came.

She wasn't crying out of fear, not necessarily. Sure, she was scared of Tancid, but she knew that nothing would harm her at Hogwarts. She wasn't sure why she was crying, but, for some reason, she just couldn't help it.

* * *

James slid out the door after Lily, glad for the umpteenth time that he'd brought his invisibility cloak with him.

He, like all of the males that had come in contact with Professor Phoebe Tancid, thought the young woman was very attractive, but he'd known there was something different about her. Now he knew for sure that there was and that it was nothing good.

As he followed Lily through the corridors, he yearned to whip the cloak of and run to her, tell her to ignore the bitch, that he and the Marauders would get her back for what she said. But he saw that her fists were clenched, knuckles white, shoulders set and tense. He caught her reflection in a mirror and was shocked by her paleness.

So he did nothing, sure that if he did, Lily would take his head off.


	5. Troubles

AN: And here's another : ) Also, any and all reviews would be appreciated!

Chapter 5 – Troubles

"So, what did Tancid want to talk to you about after class?" Mary asked Lily later that night once they had retreated to Lily's room after dinner. "She seemed mighty pissed at you in class. I mean, what kind of teacher gets her knickers in a bunch because a student is taking notes?"

Lily shrugged. She had decided that she wouldn't tell anyone the truth about what Rancid Tancid had said to her, but she wasn't so daft that she thought people wouldn't ask her. So, she'd come up with what she thought was a believable mix of truth and lies. "All she said was that she expected better of me, being Head Girl and all. I promised her I'd try harder, blah, blah, blah."

"In other words, you bullshitted your way through it?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

The pair laughed and went back to their previous activities, Lily painting her toenails while Mary flipped through the newest issue of Witch Weekly.

"Hey, I almost forgot," Mary started excitedly. "Did you hear about Alice?"

"What about her?"

"She and that boy she dated last year, Frank something-or-other, are planning on meeting up in Hogsmeade as soon as we all know the dates."

"Oh yeah," Lily smiled, remembering the young man in question. "Longbottom, wasn't it? He graduated last year."

"Yeah, that's the one. I wonder if-"

A trio of quick knocks on Lily's door cut Mary off. The Head Girl rolled her eyes and swished her wand in the direction of it. The door swung open, revealing a stoic James Potter.

"Lily, I need to talk to you."

* * *

After sending Mary on her way ("You better tell me about it later," the curious blonde had whispered as Lily ushered her into the Gryffindor common room.), Lily and James sat together on the comfy couch that was placed in front of the fireplace. Lily pulled her feet up on the cushion, facing James and staring at him expectantly.

He sat facing the fire, elbows braced on his knees, eyes locked on the flames before him. He'd struggled with his conscience all through dinner and had finally decided that Lily needed to know that he'd heard her and that old hag, Tancid. He wanted her to know how she was batshit crazy and that Lily had done a great job sticking up for herself. He wanted her to know that he was proud of her.

"James?" His gaze snapped over to her when she said his name so softly that it almost caressed his ears. "James, what's the matter?"

He took a deep breath and looked back into the fire. "I heard what Tancid said to you after class."

"…Oh…"

"It was so out of line. She is mental." He glanced back at Lily, alarmed by the tears that had gathered in her eyes. "Oh, Lily. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, no, it's fine," she sniffed, wiping at the wetness on her cheeks as her face flushed in embarrassment. "It just caught me off guard, I suppose. That was the first time since our fifth year that someone called me that to my face. It reminded me of Severus…" She hiccupped as a fresh wave of tears came on at Snape's name.

"Lily-flower," James whispered. He slid across the couch and, before he could second guess himself, gathered her into arms and lap. She had stiffened at first, undoubtedly shocked by his forwardness, but quickly gave in to the embrace. She sobbed quietly into the crook of his neck, weaving her arms under his and grasping at his shoulders. He slowly rocked her, smoothing her hair with one hand and pressing her into his chest with the other. Eventually her gasping sobs quieted and then stopped altogether, but neither made a move to end their embrace.

"I think I shocked her a bit though," Lily finally murmured into James' neck, smiling against him. "Tancid I mean."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I'd say your last comment stunned her pretty good. You did a great job, by the way. Merlin, I'd have burst into tears if that woman had come at me like that!" He accomplished what he'd been aiming for; Lily laughed again, staying relaxed against him. Again they fell silent, though this one was comfortable, companionable. James never ceased his rocking and continued to stroke her hair without really thinking about it. As cliché as it was, it just felt right to him.

"James?"

"Yeah?"

"You won't…you won't tell anyone about this, will you?"

He smiled down at her. "Of course not."

"Thanks. And James?"

"Mhm?"

"Thank you."

In response, he rested his head against Lily's and whispered, "Don't mention it."

Lily closed her eyes and settled into his embrace, basking in the feeling of having him hold her.

Sadly, their comfort was cut short when a thump sounded from right outside the door to the Gryffindor common room. They both became rigid, listening with all their might. There was another little knock, prompting Lily to sit up in James' lap. Staring intently at the door, James jumped and Lily made a little noise of surprise as it started to open. Within only a couple of seconds, James had scooped Lily up into his arms and dashed behind the couch. They crouched there, wands at the ready, as a large, lumpy figure stumbled into the semi-darkness of the room. Odd sucking noises met their ears and, with a moan, the figure broke apart into two separate shapes.

"Damn it," James said under his breath, lowering his wand and sighing dramatically. "I'm gonna kill him."

"What?"

"Here." He stood up and said to the mysterious shapes, "Sirius, I'm giving you five seconds to get the hell out of here."

The strange sound ceased with heavy breathing following in its wake, as well as a male "oh shit" and a female "you said they'd be asleep, you dolt". Lily stood as well, having recognized the female voice.

"Mary?"

The intruders stepped forward, heads hanging in shame as they glanced between their respective best friends and their feet.

"We'd thought you wouldn't be up," Mary mumbled, blushing.

James sighed. "I guess you were looking for a little privacy, eh?"

"Yeah," Sirius stared at the floor.

"Well," Lily glanced at her watch. "Curfew starts at half past ten and it's only a bit after nine now." James', Sirius', and Mary's eyes all shot to her. "So you've got a little less than an hour and a half to find yourselves a nice broom closet and snog each other senseless." She smiled at them, clearly pleased with herself.

When no one moved, James joked, "You heard the lady! Now I'd say you have an hour and fifteen minutes to find your cupboard."

Without another glance at the Head students, Sirius and Mary grasped hands and tore through the door, letting it slam shut behind them.

The incredulous silence they left behind was quickly broken by laughter. Lily slid onto the couch, clutching her stomach as giggles wracked her small frame. James was doubled over, hands on his knees, guffawing uncontrollably.

Eventually their mirth ran out and they sprawled out on the couch, their breathing ragged.

"I can't believe that just happened," Lily was final able to articulate, still smiling widely. "How'd you know that was Sirius?"

James grimaced. "After all of the girls he's brought to our dorm…well, I guess I'm just used to it."

Lily rolled her eyes and yawned. "Well, I think that all of this excitement has tuckered me out. I'm going to head on up." As she raised up, James mirrored her and stood there awkwardly. They exchanged a quick glance and smile.

"Erm, night, Lily."

"Night." She started up her staircase, but paused about halfway up and turned back to James. She was surprised to see him standing where she left him, watching her ascent. She felt a heat warm her cheeks. "I-I almost forgot about the Prefect meeting tomorrow night. Eight o'clock sharp, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, eight…eight sharp."

"Okay. Goodnight." She started back up the stairs, but heard a faint, "Goodnight, Lily-flower" as she reached the top.

* * *

Lily was sure the next morning would be all sorts of awkward, but James acted like he always did: gentlemanly.

It never ceased to amaze her how much he had changed at the beginning of their sixth year. Up until that point, Lily had truly detested the immature little prat known as James Potter, due mainly to the way he treated her best friend Severus. Well, and how he would ask her out on a date every time he laid eyes on her.

But something had changed.

Lily couldn't be sure what had prompted this transformation, though she did have an inkling as to what may have jump-started it.

She had been doing her Prefect rounds one night in early October alone (she'd ditched the skeevy Ravenclaw Prefect that kept trying to get her in a broom closet) when she passed by the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"I just hope you will consider what I've presented to you," the headmaster was saying, making Lily pause.

"Yes, professor, I will." The other voice was familiar, male, but she couldn't place it right off the bat.

"Keep in mind what I said, Mr. Potter. I'm not only looking for talented wizards. I need leaders, James."

Lily ducked behind one of the stone gargoyles, relieved that it and its partner were dozing blissfully.

"I understand."

Dumbledore and James reached the gargoyles and bid each other farewell. As James walked the way Lily was headed, Dumbledore turned and went back up to his study.

She just stood there for a moment, crouching low, until she was sure both were out of ear-shot. Then she crept out from her hiding place and booked it to the Gryffindor common room.

Looking back, Lily realized that she hadn't really been paying all that much attention to her surrounding, too preoccupied with going over and over James' and Dumbledore's conversation. So, it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise when she walked into someone.

She just wished it wasn't him.

"Alright there, Evans?"

She felt her cheeks burn and mumbled a soft "sorry" before trying to walk around him.

"Wait," James said quickly, his hand shooting out and loosely grabbing her wrist. "Are you going up to the common room? That's where I'm headed."

"Look, if you're going to ask me again, the answer is, and always will be-"

"No, I won't ask you anything, promise."

She eyed him for a second, still hesitant, then glanced down to where his hand was still looped around her wrist. He saw where her gaze was headed and dropped his hand immediately.

"Well…to the common room, then?"

He smiled down at her and she was shocked by how soft it was. But she didn't let it get to her; for all she knew, this could be one of his little pranks.

They made their way through the few remaining halls and one staircase in silence until they reached the Fat Lady, to whom James said, "Gobbledegook."

She swung open and the pair entered the deserted common room.

"Well, night," he said and, without a second glance back at her, went straight up the boy's staircase.

At first, this new James had bothered her almost as much (if not more) than the old James had. But as a few weeks passed and he continued to be less of a dolt while still playing pranks and such, she got used to it. Hell, she even began to like it.

"Good morning, Lily," James said, pulling Lily from her memories, as he met her at the bottom of her staircase.

"Oh, err, hi!"

"Ready for breakfast?"

She nodded and smiled as he offered her his arm like some old-fashioned hero. Lily blushed despite herself and took it, glancing down – missing the way James beamed at her.

"Today, we will be covering what I consider to be the three most dangerous potions in existence," Professor Slughorn began, his eyes roving over the students in his classroom. "I wonder, Miss Evans," he locked eyes with his favorite student and smiled brightly at her. "If you could identify which three they are?" He gestured at the three small pewter cauldrons resting atop his desk.

Lily rose from her place between Mary and James (Sirius, sitting on the other side of James, kept shooting Mary looks from where he sat; breakfast that morning had been strained to say the least, but Lily had yet to have the chance to pull her friend aside and ask what had happened) and stepped up to the front of the room.

The first cauldron was full of a thick, muddy substance, so dense that the few bubbles that made it to the surface were large and sporadic. "The Polyjuice Potion, sir?"

"Correct! Five points to Gryffindor!"

The second cauldron had what looked like water in it, but, upon closer inspection, Lily noticed her reflection in the potion. "Veritaserum?"

"Why, yes! Five more points!"

The last cauldron contained a pearly liquid and, when she was close enough to smell it, she couldn't help but let out a little chuckle. "Amortentia?"

"Yes! Take five more points! Now, a little information about each…"

Lily walked back to her seat as Slughorn addressed the finer points of each potion: how the Polyjuice Potion would turn the drinker into whoever he or she wanted to be (excluding any and all animals, of course); how Veritaserum was the most powerful truth serum, identifiable only by the way a reflection was displayed upside down in it; and Amortentia, what he called, "Aphrodite's Blood".

"Now, this particular love potion does not produce love, but rather the obsession or infatuation that is oftentimes associated with it. At this time," he paused and looked around the room. "I would like for you to come up, table by table, and study these three potions."

When it was there turn, the Marauders and Mary ambled up to the desk and took a good look at the potions while Lily stayed in her seat; she had already been up there once and didn't really care to venture back.

"What did you smell?" she asked Mary, who nearly sprinted back to the table after taking one whiff of the Amortentia.

"A fucking broom cupboard," she scowled, staring angrily at Sirius' empty seat. Before Lily could respond, James slid back into his chair, a look of pure ecstasy upon his features. "What are you so happy about?" Mary snapped.

"That Amortentia stuff is amazing," he sighed, his eyes unfocused. "It smells just like-"

He was interrupted by Sirius' barking laugh from the front of the room. He, Remus, and Peter were standing in front of the third potion, laughing as Sirius dipped a hand into the liquid, then ran it through his dark hair.

"Mr. Black, was that really necessary?" Professor Slughorn asked him, his lack of amusement evident.

Sirius grinned toothily, chuckling as he took his seat again, though he was sure to pass close to Mary and shake his hair out as he did. Mary's frown only deepened and, when Slughorn's back was turned, she drew her wand and pointed it at Sirius' crotch under the table.

"Mary," Lily hissed.

"Hush," she replied, and, with a simple flick of her wrist, a little flash of orange shot from the tip of her wand to her target.

Sirius leapt to his feet, hands covering his manhood through his pants as he howled. The entire class jumped at his outburst, though Slughorn – who had just picked up the Polyjuice Potion – flew the highest, dropping the bubbling goop in the process. As it spread across the dungeon floor, people snatched their things from the ground, weary of getting potion on their belongings.

"Need – Merlin! - Need nurse!" Sirius cried, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet.

"We'll take him, sir," James said, looking at Remus and Peter expectantly, as he quickly rose to his feet. Slughorn nodded as they ushered a still sputtering Sirius through the door.

"What the hell was that about?" Lily asked her friend as they, along with the rest of the class, headed back to their respective common rooms, seeing how Slughorn had dismissed them to have time to get his room cleaned up and back in order for his next class.

"He is an absolute prick, Lily," Mary confessed, looking her straight in the eye as they climbed up a stairway, automatically jumping the trick step, and then continuing on their way. "We did like you said last night, about the broom cupboard and all, but after a little while, he started trying things that I…well, that I wasn't ready for."

"Oh Merlin, what did he do?"

"Tried to take my top off!"

"What a prat!"

"I know, right!" Mary paused and sighed, looking down. "He got all offended when I told him to back off and stormed out."

Lily frowned, hating how Sirius had treated her best friend. "So, I suppose he deserved what you did to him in there, eh?"

"Oh yes," Mary giggled. "Something tells me that those boils will make sitting on a broom right near impossible for the next week or so."

* * *

He smirked to himself as he watched his and Mulciber's targets making their way up a staircase. They were pretty girls – it was a shame that they'd be dead soon.

Regulus thought back to his conversation with Potter, laughing a little at how easily the thick-headed Gryffindor had fallen into the trap. Did he really think he could save Lily Evans?

Pathetic.

The Dark Lord had decided long ago that muggle-borns had no place in his new Wizarding order and, recently, chose to start the elimination process at the very place he (and so many others) felt the safest: Hogwarts.

Regulus had never felt more honored than when, only a couple weeks into the summer holiday, the Dark Lord himself visited number 12 Grimmauld Place to personally ask the youngest Black for his assistance.

"You, Regulus Arcturus Black, are my key to Hogwarts," he had said. Any other fifteen year old would have been terrified by the task at hand, but Regulus relished it.

He was going to make Lord Voldemort proud.


	6. The Plot Thickens

AN: I am on a roll! Enjoy!

6 – The Plot Thickens

When James came into the Heads common room that afternoon after classes were over, he was exhausted. Not only had he had to put up with Sirius moaning over the injuries dealt to his 'most prized possessions', but the Prefects meeting was that night and he had yet to sort out his part of it: the Hogsmeade trips.

So, as he trudged into the empty room, he started to plan out everything in his head. Maybe the trips could happen on the very last Saturday of every month, he thought to himself. The idea was immediately squashed as he remembered that at least two of Gryffindor's would be the last Saturday of one month or another, and there was no telling what other houses had similar games.

Then Quidditch was on his mind and he recalled that he had yet to come up with a date for tryouts; he was going to have to fill four spots – a beater, two chasers, and a seeker.

His musings were cut short when Lily, stepping softly off her staircase, asked, "How is he?"

James, like an absolute idiot, looked at her, truly confused. "Huh?"

"How's Sirius?" she clarified, trying to hold back a giggle as she took in his adorably quizzical expression.

"Oh, he'll be fine," he answered, running his hand through his messy locks – an old habit. "I mean, he'd like for you to think otherwise – the poor git's been going on and on about it – but the nurse said he'd be sorted all out by dinner."

"Well, that's good," Lily smiled. "I was a little afraid for him. Mary's been known to do a number on some of the people she's hexed. So, what are you up to?"

Her question brought back the number of things that had been running through his mind moments before. He sighed. "Lily, I messed up." She looked at him, clearly concerned. "I mean to do the Hogsmeade dates today, but Sirius is such a pansy, and then I still haven't picked a day for Quidditch tryouts, and-"

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing I did this then." She pulled out a piece of parchment full of dates for Hogsmeade from behind her back and handed it to him. "I figured you could use the help. But this is the first and last time," she mock scolded. "Got it?"

"Yes ma'am," he said incredulously, his eyes glued to the sheet. "I can't believe you did this. Thank you so much." He looked up at her, but after a moment she had to look away; the immense amount of gratitude in his gaze made her blush.

"Now, about these Quidditch tryouts," she contemplated. "How about this Saturday? Nothing else should be going on and that'll give you three days to get the word out."

Again, his grateful expression made her look away.

"You are an absolute lifesaver," James smiled, taking three steps towards her and giving her a quick hug. He stepped back and, just as he had done for breakfast, offered her his arm. "May I escort you to dinner, milady?"

Lily threw her head back and laughed. "Of course, kind sir," she giggled, taking his arm and letting him lead her to the Great Hall.

* * *

The rest of the week passed rather quietly, with nothing but the continuing silence between Mary and Sirius to detract from what would have been a very pleasant first week back. Soon enough, Saturday had rolled around and it was time for James, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, to hold tryouts. Just like every past year he had been on the team, the majority of his house – as well as the others – came to the pitch to witness the makings of the school's best team.

It was an arduous process, but after he had weeded out the twenty or so giggling second and third year girls that were just there to see him and the other fellows on the team – Sirius and Willy Wagstaff – the remaining ten young Gryffindors got straight to work.

In the end, James was happy with his new team; he had picked a fourth year named Amelia Graves and a sixth year named Marty Fletwock as his chasers, a burly fifth year named Roger Flouts for his beater, and a tiny little second year, Irma Dorcans (who caught the snitch in a little less than five minutes), as seeker.

As the new team dispersed after hearing their practice schedule – something else James owed Lily for; she'd helped him plan around nearly every other club meeting (except for the Gobstones club…he didn't want any of them on his team anyway) – the happy captain and beater best friend trekked to the entrance of the stands where they met Lily, Mary, Remus, and Peter.

"We have a team!" he announced, thrusting his fists up into the air.

"Now all we have to do is win," Sirius joked, patting his best mate on the back. His eyes caught Mary's and he dropped them to his feet.

Trying to avoid the ensuing awkwardness, Lily chimed in, "So, what are our chances this year, captain? Do you predict another championship?"

"Oh yes," James grinned. "Most definitely! Those slimy Slytherins won't know what-"

"I wouldn't bet on it, Potter." Everyone's heads snapped to Regulus as he sauntered towards them, three or four of his 'friends' following behind him.

"Yeah, well no one asked you, Reggie," Sirius snarled, his eyes darkening as he took in his younger sibling.

"Shut up, blood traitor," Regulus hissed, pulling out his wand and pointing it at his brother's heart.

"Oh, Reggiekins, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Mummy's already lost one son, and I'd sure hate to have to send you back to her in a matchbox."

"I said, SHUT UP," the younger Black roared. "Confringo!"

"Protego!" Mary shouted, effectively blocking the spell. "Expelliarmus!" Regulus' wand flew high through the air and landed in her hand. The Slytherins all eyed her mutinously, but none more so than Regulus. "Now I suggest you leave before I shove this wand so far up your ass, that you'll be spewing sparks for the next week." She tossed the wand back to Regulus who, after giving her the dirtiest look he could muster, retreated with his friends in tow.

"Mary, I-"

"I'm still mad at you, Sirius," she interrupted, grabbing Lily's wrist and pulling her towards the castle.

* * *

"Is she ever going to forgive him?" James asked. He and Lily were lounging in their common room, working together on the essay Tancid had assigned them on the Unforgivable Curses.

"Eventually," she replied, sucking on her Sugar Quill and contemplating other morality issues surrounding the Imperious Curse. "But, you have to admit, Sirius kind of deserved all that he's gotten. I'm not saying I condone it," she said quickly, noticing James' stony silence. "But if some bloke tried to whip my top off, I'd have done a whole hell of a lot more to him than she did."

James sighed. "You're right. It's just that it's eating him up. All of his jokes lately have been rubbish. I mean, he can't even seem to come up with a good prank!"

"Okay, I'll talk to her after dinner and see if she can at least hear him out," Lily conceded, smiling at James. "We can't have a prank-less Sirius, now can we?"

He chuckled along with her and they drifted back into silence. Lily scratched away on her essay, occasionally lifting her head to nibble on her quill. James, however, stopped working moments after the quiet settled in, staring down at his parchment. Internally, he was battling with himself.

I should ask her.

No, things have been going so well! Don't ruin it.

Exactly, maybe she'd actually consider it now!

Or maybe it'll ruin everything!

Finally, the first voice conquered and he turned his gaze to her and cleared his throat. "Err, Lily?"

"Yeah?" she continued reading over her essay, crossing out something here, adding something there.

He took a deep breath. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing."

"Will you…Or, really, I mean to say…are you…" he sighed heavily and Lily looked over at him. "Will you go to Hogsmeade with me next Sunday?"

Her pause seemed to last forever, her expression unreadable until, finally, she smiled brightly and said, "I'd love to."

"Really?"

She nodded, still grinning.

"You're not joking?"

She full on laughed at that. "No, James, I'm not joking."

"Brilliant!" He leapt off the floor and bounced onto the couch next to her, hugging her to him and planting a kiss on the top of her head. "I swear you won't regret it!" He released her and checked his watch, too excited to hold still. "It's just about time for dinner, want to head down?"

"Sure," she beamed, letting him take her hand and pull her to her feet and out the door.

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"Blimey, she actually said yes?" Peter asked, his expression on of half disbelief, half awe.

James nodded, the grin that had appeared when she agreed still on his face. "Not just yes, Wormtail – she said that she'd love to!"

"That's wonderful, James, really," Remus said, smiling at his friend. "So do you know what you're going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

Remus sighed. He loved the other three Marauders like they were his own brothers, but they could be really thick-headed. "I mean, what are you two going to do in Hogsmeade? You can't just take her there without a plan."

"You're right," he conceded, sitting up from where he'd been lounging at the end of Peter's bed, the formerly affixed smile gone and replaced with a concerned frown.

"You could take her to Madame Puddifoot's," Peter offered hopefully.

"Nah, she hates it there. That bloke McLaggen – you know, the prat that got his wand all in a knot when I got on the team and he didn't – took her there in our fourth year and she hexed him for it."

Remus considered this. "Well, there's always the three broomsticks."

"True, true," James sighed. "I just want to do something special, you know? I've literally been waiting years for this moment and now that it's here…well, I'm going to mess it up."

"It'll all be fine, James," Remus reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Do you have any ideas, Sirius?"

James immediately felt a pang of guilt. His (for once) silent best mate was still mooning over Mary and here he was, going on and on about Lily.

"We can talk about it later," he said before Sirius had even contemplated an answer. "We've got plenty of time. So, Sirius, have you got any plans on how to get Mary back?"

The downtrodden young man flicked his eyes open. "I've tried everything, mate. She won't even look at me."

"Lily said she was going to talk to her about it tonight."

"Really?" The smallest hint of hope colored his tone.

James nodded. "Yeah. She also said that she knew Mary would forgive you." He decided to leave off the 'eventually', unable to dampen Sirius' sudden small confidence.

"I have an idea," Sirius exclaimed, leaping out of bed and onto his feet. "I need to get to the owlry. And I need my broom. Oh, and Prongs," he turned back to his friends as he was halfway out the door, his trademark smirk in its rightful place. "Take her to Fortescue's new ice cream shop. It's brand new and, if I recall that incident from our fifth year correctly, Florean owes you."

And with that, he was out the door.

"What the hell was that about?" James inquired.

Peter shrugged and Remus responded, "Search me."

* * *

"So, you see, Sirius really is sorry. He thought he was doing what you wanted. And then, when he got all defensive, he was just embarrassed. You know how those boys get – one hit to their ego, and suddenly they're as kind as a hungry blast-ended skrewt!"

Mary looked at Lily skeptically, albeit with a smile. "They do tend to get a little moody, don't they?"

The girls laughed and Lily felt her heart lift. She knew Mary and, after her comment, Lily was sure that things between her best friend and – there was no denying it – the object of her affection would soon be back to normal.

Just as the thought came to be, a pecking sounded on the window. Mary rose to her feet and opened the window, letting the speckled barn owl in. As he held up his leg and allowed Mary to remove the parchment tied to it, Lily looked out the window; she had noticed movement in the pitch darkness that prevailed right outside the room.

"Mary, I am absolutely daft. I never meant to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable. If it isn't too much, I would like to ask you to forgive me. If you do, take a peek out the window. Sirius."

Once Mary finished reading the little note, she sprinted to the window.

"Heya, Mary," Sirius said slyly, floating on his broomstick outside their window.

"Oh, Sirius," Mary giggled.

"Care to come for a midnight fly?"

"Don't mind if I do."

As he helped her onto his broom, Lily spoke up. "Don't stay out too late! And be careful!"

Sirius winked at her and, with a blink of an eye, they were gone.

* * *

She heard the whooshing of a broomstick over her head, followed by the laughter and squealing of its riders. She grimaced; riding a broomstick was one of the things she hated most in the world. Maybe it was because the first time she attempted to mount her cousin's old Cleansweep 2, she had fallen off and broken her ankle. Shaking herself from her musings and focusing on her mission at hand, Phoebe Tancid stepped lightly through the front gate of the school.

She was on her way to Hogsmeade, to meet someone at a dodgy little pub known as the Hog's Head. Who she was meeting, she didn't know. However, she'd been told to look for a tall, pale man dressed in a dark purple cloak with a black fur lined collar_. Oddly specific_, she thought to herself_, but at least I'll be able to find him_.

By the time she reached the pub, most of the establishments of Hogsmeade had closed for the night. A few people stilled milled about here and there – the majority of whom seemed to have downed a few too many shots of firewhiskey – and she let herself be consumed by the velvety blackness.

Tancid opened the door to the Hog's Head and stepped through the entryway, inhaling the scent of moldy dishrags and cheap booze. The man was not hard to miss; even had he not been wearing his fur trimmed cloak, there would have been no doubt that he was the man she was there to speak with.

"Antonin Dolohov," he introduced himself, inclining his head the slightest bit to her as he led the way to a booth in the back where not even the bar tender would be able to hear them. "You are Miss Tancid."

"Please, call me Phoebe," she cooed, sending the middle-aged Death Eater a flirtatious grin.

"Phoebe," he smiled. "You have a large part to play in our plan for next Sunday."

"And I am so honored to have been given the chance to participate," she gushed.

He grinned, his twisted face looking even more sinister in the fading firelight. "Yes, I'm sure you are. All we need from you is to make sure that James Potter and Lily Evans are at the train station at exactly two o'clock that afternoon. Once you have gotten them there, we will take care of everything else."

* * *

That Monday in Defense Against the Dark Arts, something strange happened. It wasn't a secret – everyone noticed it. When it occurred, Sirius woke up from the nap he took in every Defense class; Remus stopped scratching away at his notes; Mary actually looked at Tancid instead of staring out the window; James cocked his head and narrowed his eyes in suspicion; Lily gasped; and Peter fell out of his chair.

"Can anyone tell me the proper way to fend off an Unforgivable Curse?" When no one raised their hand, Tancid called out, "Miss Evans?"

"Err, if the potential victim is aware the curse is being cast, a simple shield charm should be effective."

"And if the victim is unaware?"

"Resistance. You have to have a strong enough will to resist it."

"Very good. Five points to Gryffindor."

Tancid ignored the disturbance the students caused and continued to teach. After class, she asked Lily and James to stay.

"There is a very important Ministry Official that's going to be coming this Sunday and I know Minerv-" she paused, and giggled slightly. "I'm sorry, I mean, Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster want you to meet them at the train station in Hogsmeade. You were both planning on going, right?"

"Oh, err, yes we were, professor," James stuttered glancing at Lily. This was going to put a damper in his plans.

"Wonderful!" Meet me there at two o'clock." She gave them both a smile and turned to go into her office.

As soon as they were out of hearing range, James asked, "There's no Ministry Official coming, is there?"

"No way in hell."

"So what are we going to do?"

Lily thought about it for a moment, frowning. "I think we should meet her there, just like she said. But we'll be prepared for anything. And, if by some crazy chance there really is a Ministry Official there, then maybe…maybe Tancid isn't as evil as we thought."

He smiled down at her. "Doubtful."

* * *

When Sunday morning dawned, James and Lily were ready. James had his invisibility cloak (unbeknownst to Lily) and had already planned a quick escape should something go wrong. Lily hadn't been happy when James told her to leave the escape plan up to him, but, to her credit, she agreed to go along with it – whether she liked it or not.

They ate breakfast with their friends, telling them they were looking forward to their date (neither of them could really believe they were actually going on a date) and that they were meeting Tancid at the station at two to meet some Ministry Official. The pair had decided to omit their concerns about the validity of Tancid's invitation in their explanation to the Marauders and Mary; they didn't want to concern them, but , more than that, they didn't want to endanger them. If, in fact, this 'meeting' went wrong, they wanted those they cared for out of the line of fire.

They walked to Hogsmeade with their friends, relishing the time they spent with Mary, Sirius (who were happily 'together'), Remus, and even Peter. When they reached the beginning of High Street it was time to say goodbye. Lily didn't know why she hugged Mary so hard, why she kissed both Sirius and Remus on the cheek, or why she let Peter give her an awkward little half hug. She assumed it could have been the same reason James hugged the other three Marauders and Mary.

They were scared.

They knew it just wasn't right, that as much as they hoped there would be some uppity, hoity-toity Ministry man at the train station, there wouldn't be.

As their friends walked away, James said, "Do you want to go get some ice cream?"

Lily, teary eyed, nodded and smiled sadly.

"It's alright, Lily-flower. It's going to be okay."

"Is it?" They started walking to the newly opened shop next to the Three Broomsticks.

He was quiet for a moment. "I hope so."

Lily snaked her hand into his, squeezing it as they walked. James couldn't help but smile at their conjoined hands and, when she went to let go as they entered the ice cream parlor, refused to let go. She snuggled into his chest as they waited in line.

"Once this is all over," she said, looking at all the different types of ice cream. "I think we'll have to do this again sometime."

James, who had been brushing the back of her hand with his thumb, stilled. Lily glanced up at him, afraid that he didn't share her thoughts. She was about to take it back when he said, "I think we should do it all the time."

It was her turn to become motionless. Was he asking what she thought he was asking?

"I know that I was a bigheaded berk these past few years, but, Lily, you bring out the best in me. And I know it's soon and we're facing the unknown today, but, corny as this may be, I want you to be mine."

"I-"

"Next!"

She didn't say anything, just stood there and looked at James.

"Hello? Are you going to order or not?"

"I'll take a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of vanilla, with chocolate and caramel sauce," James muttered, having glanced away from Lily. She didn't want him, didn't love him like he knew he loved her.

"I want the same," she finally whispered.

"The same ice cream?" the young fellow behind the counter asked.

"What?" She took notice of the teller and blushed. "Oh yes, sure, that too."

"You mean it?" James couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Why wouldn't she, it sounds delicious," the young man retorted, waving a wand and letting the ice cream prepare itself.

James and Lily ignored him, choosing instead to smile at one another. They gathered their ice cream and walked outside to each their treats in the comfortable autumn sun at a private table Fortescue had arranged for them personally.

"Oh Merlin, this is delicious!"

"Told you so," James sniggered. "It's so simple, but so good!"

They laughed and talked about the most trivial things: how Lily 'liked' being in the Slugclub ("It's terribly boring," she confessed.), James' prediction for the Quidditch season ("Slytherin really isn't as big of a threat as its team thinks it is," he said.), and the NEWTs they would be taking at the end of June ("Way more trouble than they're worth," they agreed).

And then it was suddenly 1:55.

"I would say that we just shouldn't go," Lily said, her voice shaky and her face pale. "But we need to."

Nodding, James added, "Trust me, Lily. I won't let anything happen to you."

She sighed and gripped his hand tighter as they made their way to the station.


	7. The Battle of Hogsmeade

AN: Here you go! And, as always, reviews would be greatly appreciated!

Chapter 7 – The Battle of Hogsmeade

When they got to the station, the tracks were void of both a train and Tancid. Glancing around, they were confused by the lack of people.

"Where is everyone?" James asked, clearly befuddled. "I know it's ridiculously full when the Hogwarts Express gets here, but every other time I've seen it, it's always had at least twenty or so people around."

Lily shivered. "I don't know, but I don't like this. What time is it?"

"It's just now two," he replied, glancing at his watch then lifting his gaze and looking around at the platform. "A train has never been late to this station. I say we leave if it isn't here by 2:01."

"Sounds good to me," Lily whispered, clutching his hand tighter.

They stood there for only a moment before they heard a crack echo down at one end of the station. Immediately after, there was another, then another, and another until there were around fifteen or twenty masked people surrounding them.

At the first pop, the Heads had dropped hands and grabbed their wands, standing back to back as more and more Death Eaters Apparated around them.

"James," Lily's voice wavered. She cleared her throat and he could feel her set her shoulders. "James, I think it's time for the escape pl-"

"Hello, Mr. Potter, Miss Evans," a smooth voice said from the entrance to the station. They turned their heads towards it.

Striding towards them was a hulk of a man, huge and blonde, with an oddly twisted face. Lily couldn't help but think there was something familiar about large man, yet James was the one remembered him.

"What do you want, Dolohov?" His voice was sharp and strong, chasing away the butterflies – no, vultures – that swarmed in her stomach.

The man, Dolohov, smiled ghoulishly. "Just to talk with the two of you, of course."

"Save your breath," Lily found herself saying. "We aren't interested."

"I'd be quiet if I were you, Miss Evans," he sneered, his eyes turning cold as they met hers. "We're going out on a limb here for you. The Dark Lord has only taken one other…" He trailed off, considering his next words. "The Dark Lord has only taken one other of your parentage."

"She told you, we aren't interested," James insisted. "Now, you're going to let us go on our way, we'll let you go on yours."

"So you can run for Dumbledore? I think not. Incarcerous!"

Ropes shot forth from his wand, heading straight for Lily and James. There was a sudden feeling of soft cloth covering her and then everything changed.

The magical ropes fell to the ground while the Death Eaters looked around the platform, clearly confused and frustrated.

"Where'd they go?"

"What the hell happened?"

"How'd they do it?"

Lily felt herself wondering the same things but, before she could so much as open her mouth to ask the same questions, James' hand was covering it. She turned to look at him. He held up his index finger and placed it over his lips, indicating that she needed to stay quiet. She nodded and he released her mouth. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her into his side as he quickly led her towards the only way out, which was located right behind Dolohov.

The befuddled Death Eaters had spread out, searching for the vanished Head Boy and Girl. A couple of them leapt down onto the tracks, looking there just in case they had jumped down without anyone noticing.

"They aren't here," Dolohov announced just as Lily and James reached the entryway. "Search the village. But remove your masks," he added as a younger man started to venture into the town still wearing his. "Don't be daft, Lucius."

Lily slapped her own hand over mouth. Lucius Malfoy, she remembered him; he'd graduated when they were in their third year. He was the one that first called her a mudblood.

James noticed her surprise, but said nothing as he continued to pull her through to the street beyond. As they stumbled around under the cloak – Lily had finally come to the conclusion that they were concealed under a cloak of invisibility – James, wand still out, took them into the small space between the Three Broomsticks and the post office. Once they were far enough inside the alleyway, he pulled the cloak off of them ("We need to talk about that later," Lily said, motioning at it).

"We have to come up with a plan," Lily said, peering past James and into the street beyond. "I never thought they'd go gallivanting throughout the village."

He nodded. "This is absolutely mental. But we've got to warn the others." He pulled out a small mirror – she recognized it as the same one he'd used to talk to Sirius with that day on the train – and said to it, "Sirius, where are you mate?"

But the mirror's surface only reflected James' face back at him. He cursed colorfully, shoving the mirror back into his pocket and running a hand through his hair warily.

"We need Dumbledore," muttered Lily, clutching her wand so tightly that she was afraid she may break it.

"And soon," James agreed. He glanced at the building on their right. "Let's send an owl."

She gave him a blank look, but then registered what he intended. They quickly discovered that there was no side door, so the pair inched their way towards the front of the post office, keeping their heads down.

"I think they're trying to blend in," she whispered to James. They were several yards away from the door that would lead them to safety.

At first, she was right. They tried to assimilate, but the presence of the wanted posters tacked up all over the village made it a little difficult. Dolohov's picture was posted outside Zonko's and Honeydukes, the man on the paper scowling cruelly and, Lily figured, it was only a matter of time before someone on the street recognized him.

Unfortunately, it was one of the people she least wanted to identify him and the other Death Eaters that took note of them.

Sirius did a double take as he and Mary exited Honeydukes, looking between Dolohov and his scowling photograph. He ducked back into the shop and a moment later, Remus and Peter tumbled out, eyes wide and wands barely concealed behind their backs.

"James, James look!" She motioned over at their best friends.

"I know," he took a deep breath, staring hard at the group, then, still hand in hand with Lily, took off at a fairly quick gait for them, abandoning their plan to send an owl to the castle.

But before they could reach them, a cackling shriek rent through the air.

"If it isn't my baby cousin, little Sirius!"

The woman (whose outburst had gained the attention of the entire street) was rather tall, with glimmering black hair and matching eyes that were framed by heavy lids. She would have been pretty, Lily couldn't help but think, if she didn't look absolutely insane.

Sirius had stiffened at the appearance of his estranged cousin and his lips had drawn themselves into a thin line. He was angry, that much was obvious.

"Oh, hello, Bella," he finally ground out. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with Lord Voldy-thing, killing innocent muggles and such."

The street was silent, save for the occasional rustle of a wand being drawn or the nervous shifting of someone's feet. Bellatrix Lestrange glowered at her cousin, clearly fuming over his slight on Voldemort.

"I'd watch my tongue if I were you, cousin," she yelled. "The Dark Lord isn't one to be trifled with. And neither am I. Crucio!"

Sirius blocked the Unforgivable Curse with a wave of his wand, smirking at his astonished cousin. "I'm not a frightened eleven year old anymore. Stupefy!"

The spell whizzed by her hair, cutting through her long tresses. Thick sections of hair floated to the ground, the remaining parts attached to Bellatrix's head sizzling eerily.

And then it was like being in the middle of a war zone.

Lily hit the ground, dodging a rogue spell that buzzed by her rib-cage, missing it my millimeters. She found herself hurling jinxes and spells of her own, focused only on getting rid of the Death Eaters.

She stunned a young light haired woman, levitated a man she knew to be named Rookwood and slammed him into the side of Dervish and Banges until he was unconscious and bleeding profusely from the head, and put the body-bind curse on Dolohov. She saw James going at it with Malfoy, both men avoiding spell after spell as they circled one another. Lily found their game to be ridiculous and ended it quickly with a well-aimed stunner. Malfoy fell to the ground and James looked around wildly until he locked eyes with Lily and she nodded.

She turned away from him and back towards the fight.

There were students all around, either running away from the fight or into it. Some were battling it out heroically, as were various shopkeepers. Lily watched as a thin man with a long face chased after a group of third year Hufflepuffs that were trying to take shelter in the new ice cream shop.

"Stupefy!" she shouted, pointing her wand at the Death Eater. He fell over just as he was reaching a hand out to grasp at one of the girl's skirt. The young witches screamed and flew into the parlor. Not a moment later an enraged Florean Fortescue emerged, brandishing his wand like Merlin himself.

Lily kept casting shield charms as various Death Eaters came at her, stunning most of them when she got the chance. She was terrified by the lack of teachers present. McGonagall hadn't gone to Hogsmeade that day (for the very first time Lily could remember) and the only chaperones around were Filch, who had been taken down early and was laying on the steps to Gladrags Wizardwear with a nasty cut down the side of his face, and Tancid, who was nowhere to be found.

A shout from the middle of street caught her attention and she swung around.

Sirius and Bellatrix were doing battle much the same way James and Malfoy had, circling each other in front of Honeydukes and avoiding the curses and jinxes the other casted. But there was something else there that the duel between James and Malfoy had lacked: years of hatred and pure loathing.

Lily wouldn't just stand by and watch them clash, so she raised her wand to send another stunner at Bellatrix, but something hit her hard from behind, knocking her onto the ground. Something was on top of her, making it impossible to breath, suffocating her. She tried to push up with all of her might, but it wasn't until someone pulled whatever was on top of her off that she managed to reach a standing position. It was a dead body, she noted weakly, the dead body of a man that she knew worked in Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. James had pulled him off, freeing her. She collapsed into his arms, wheezing as she tried to return the air to her lungs.

"Sirius," she heard James say, just as a spark of red light shot from Bellatrix's wand and hit Sirius square in the chest. James took off running to his best mate who was writhing on the ground, his mouth gaping open as he bellowed in pain. Bellatrix saw James coming and, smiling evilly to herself, raised her wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Lily shouted and Bellatrix's wand sailed through the air and into her open palm. The dark haired witch turned her gaze to Lily, none too pleased with having her wand taken from her.

"Give it here, little girl," she cooed, walking closer and closer to Lily. "Come on, be good and give it to me."

"Back off, bitch," she said, staring at her coldly. Bellatrix stopped in her tracks, cocking her head to the side as if she was contemplating Lily and her actions.

But her expression changed quickly when Lily held her wand up – noting somewhere in the back of her mind that its dark wood mirrored its owner's hair and eyes – one end in each hand. "You filthy mudblood, don't you dare-"

But dare she did. With a resounding crack, Lily brought the wand down over her knee, breaking it cleaning in two, with only the little bit of shimmering yellow dragon heartstring poking out of one end.

"NO!" Bellatrix shrieked, her hands fisting themselves, then turning clawed as she ran, full force at Lily.

Lily raised her wand, pointing it straight at Bellatrix, and screamed, "Sectumsempra!"

The approaching witch stumbled, pawing at her sides, then fell to the ground. Blood leaked from her, oozing into the street. She moaned weakly, tears dripping from her eyes.

She couldn't believe she had done that. But it had been the first thing to come to mind. Severus – no, Snape, she corrected – had come up with it and used it on a rat that had scuttled into their path one day at the beginning of their fifth year when they were lounging by the lake. She remembered being horrified at first, but had relaxed when he mended the rat with a lazy wave of his wand. "It only maims, doesn't kill," he'd said, munching on a pumpkin pasty.

She repeated these words to James as he pulled her up from the ground (strange, she thought, she didn't remember falling down), gripping the tops of her arms tightly. He nodded. "Okay, it's okay. Come on." He yanked her away from the bleeding Bellatrix and pushed her into the open door of Honeydukes. "Ambrosius, have you sent it yet?"

The relatively large man that normally stood behind the counter was in front of it, ushering students – specifically third and fourth years - through the door to his cellar. He's hiding them, Lily figured. Ambrosius shook his head, "I'll do it right now. Expecto Patronum." A silver falcon erupted from his wand and soared through a wall. "Done."

Lily looked to James, who grabbed her hand and pulled her to the side of the store, to where Mary, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were all huddled under the open windows there, firing hexes and spells at unlucky Death Eaters.

"Thanks, Lily," Sirius panted, shooting up to send a curse flying into a dark young man who was advancing on a small girl. The girl turned and ran into Honeydukes and was intercepted by the kindly store owner, Ambrosius.

"Don't mention it," she said back.

"LILY EVANS!" The shout took them all by surprise. They peeked out the window and saw a man, rather thick in size and stature, hunched over Bellatrix's still form. He rose to his feet and let out another window rattling cry. "I'LL KILL YOU, YOU FUCKING MUDBLOOD! DO YOU HEAR ME? I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

James pushed her behind him and into a shelf of chocolate frogs. "He won't touch you, Lily. Don't worry, I won't let him hurt you."

But right then there was an explosion and Lily felt herself and James get knocked into the shelf. Debris rained down on them as James covered Lily with his body, shielding her from the falling rubble.

The smoke began to clear and, as Lily peeked out from under James' arm, she saw her friends scattered on the floor, slowly rising to their feet, seemingly unharmed, and facing the thick man standing about twenty meters away.

"Rodolphus Lestrange," James said to himself as he stood and pulled Lily up with him.

"You little whore," the man sneered, walking quickly towards the blown out wall. "What did you do to her?"

"Stupefy!" Sirius tried, but Rodolphus waved the spell away and continued towards them.

James positioned himself in front of Lily again, but she pushed him out of the way and took a couple of steps towards the man, wand at the ready.

"Avada-"

"Confringo!"

Rodolphus burst into flame, screaming in agony as he fell to his knees and rolled to the ground. Remus put the fire out after he had stilled, but he was still alive, though his breathing was shallow. The acrid smell of burnt flesh permeated the air and made all of those around the charred man wrinkle their noses in disgust.

"James," Lily said softly, turning to him. There were tears in her eyes and she swayed on her feet. "James."

He pulled her into his arms and let her sob into his shoulder. The fight was over and, though the five or six uninjured Death Eaters had Apparated to safety, they were okay.

There was a commotion outside and Lily and James looked through the gaping space that used to be a wall. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick, and Tancid were making their way through the crowd of students standing outside, each with an expression of outrage and shock. Lily and James walked out to meet them, but, instead of addressing the headmaster, Lily turned to Professor Tancid and raised her wand.

"You liar," she cried, wand pointed at the woman's heart. "There was no Ministry Official for us to meet! You're one of them!"

Tancid ducked behind Dumbledore, hands raised in fear. "I swear, it wasn't me! I was – I was Imperiused!"

"Bullshit," James said, rounding on her.

"That's enough," Dumbledore said calmly, though the peace in his voice didn't reach his eyes. "We will all go back to the castle. I want everyone in the Great Hall. Except for you two," he nodded at the two Heads. "Come with me."

McGonagall was ushering students back up to the school, keeping a sharp eye on Tancid who appeared to be shaking. Dumbledore led the pair towards the Three Broomsticks (the students' favorite pub was, thankfully, unharmed), but a few students gasped and one shouted, "Look out!"

Lily swung back around, only to see the blackened form of Rodolphus Lestrange raise his wand and roar, "Avada Kedavra!"

There was a flash of green light and Lily felt herself get pushed back. Then there was only darkness.


	8. The Aftermath

AN: Here's the next one!

Chapter 8 – The Aftermath

The first thing Lily became aware of was the dull pounding of her heart, followed by the sharp throbbing of her head. It was dark, but she was warm and comfortable and, strangely enough, content. She felt a sort of soft pressure on her hand; someone was holding it and rubbing soothing circles on the top of it. Her mouth lifted into a smile at the feeling.

"Do you see that," an excited female voiced. "She grinned!"

Someone hushed the young woman, and Lily felt another voice – a deep, male one – close to her ear.

"Lily?" it whispered and she felt her mouth twitch into a bigger grin. "Lily-flower, can you hear me?"

It took her a minute, but she was soon able to peel her eyes open. The room was too bright, and she frowned, her eyes closing of their own accord.

"Close the blinds," the deep voice said. "Lily, can you try again? Look at me, flower."

She liked the voice, so she tried once more. This time, the room was much dimmer and, thought her eyesight was still a bit fuzzy, things began to come into focus. There were seven faces peering at her from around her bed: Mary, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, and James. The Head Boy was holding her hand, an expression of pure relief on his face, as he smiled down at her.

"What happened?" Lily croaked, then cleared her throat and tried again. "What happened? Lestrange, he-"

"Is in Azkaban," Dumbledore said gently. "As is his new bride and the rest of the Death Eaters that were caught today. You did an amazing job today, Lily," he glanced at James. "As did you, James. But I'm afraid I have to ask the pair of you a few questions. So, if you don't mind," he looked to McGonagall who immediately shepherded the Marauders and Mary through the doorway of the infirmary.

That was when Lily really took in her surroundings. She lay on a hospital bed near the back of the medical wing, right by the windows looking out on the front of the school. She was dressed in a sort of old fashioned dressing gown that, while a little itchy and too long to be comfortable, made her feel oddly at home.

"I need to know precisely what Professor Tancid said to you this past Monday in class," Dumbledore said, his voice as kind as ever, but his eyes flashed ominously.

"She told us that a Ministry Official would be visiting and that the staff wanted us to meet him at the train station," James answered.

Lily added, "And she told us to be there at two o'clock, sharp."

"Now, has Professor Tancid been acting strangely as of late?"

"Not really," James said, but then cut his eyes to Lily and furrowed his brow. "Except…well, she was actually nice to Lily the other day in class. She gave Gryffindor points for a question Lily answered correctly.

Dumbledore frowned. "And this doesn't normally happen?"

"No sir," Lily replied. "She doesn't like me much."

Neither James nor Lily confessed just how much Tancid disliked her; to tell their headmaster that the teacher had called Lily a mudblood would ensure that Tancid was removed from her position immediately. If she was sacked, the Head students couldn't spy on her.

Dumbledore thanked them and went on his way, saying something about needing a nice warm bath and a bag of lemon drops.

"Lemon whats?" James asked, his quizzical expression making Lily giggle.

"Drops," she answered. "They're a type of muggle candy."

Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Mary trooped back in, faces grim.

"We just saw Nocturus Smethwyck," Mary said shakily, leaning on Sirius who had an arm around her shoulders. "You know, that sixth year Ravenclaw? He's dead."

Remus nodded sadly. "I saw that bloke from the wanted posters, Wilkes, use the Killing Curse on him."

"That man who used to stock the shelves at Scrivenshaft's is dead too," Lily said.

"Yeah, he fell on Lily right before she cursed the hell out of Bellatrix," James added.

Peter spoke up. "And Phyllida Shimpling, that Hufflepuff fifth year, got killed to." He shivered. "That Dolohov bastard got her right in the face."

"It's scary, isn't it? One flash of green light and you're gone," Sirius sighed and Lily froze.

"Lestrange," she whispered. "He tried to – he tried to use the Killing Curse on me. How – how did I…?"

"James pulled you out of the way," Mary said quietly, smiling at the bespeckled young man.

He blushed and looked down. "No, it wasn't all me, Dumbledore did something and it was like the curse just vanished."

"Yeah," Sirius smirked. "After you grabbed Lily."

But she had tuned them out and was staring up at James unabashedly. "You saved me."

"Consider it repayment for helping me with all of that planning," he grinned.

"So, who all's in Azkaban now?" Sirius asked, clearly feeling uncomfortable.

"Malfoy, his fiancé Narcissa, Wilkes, Dolohov, all three of the Lestranges-"

"There are three of them?" Lily questioned.

Remus nodded. "Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and his brother Rabastan."

"They also got a bloke named Rookwood, works for the Ministry," Mary continued. "There was some foreign fellow, Karkaroff I think, that Mad-Eye Moody got."

"Moody was there?" James asked, sitting up straight, eyes wide. "He knows my parents!"

Mary ignored him and kept counting off the captured Death Eaters. "Amycus and Alecto Carrow – you know, those fat little Slytherins that graduated with Malfoy – that Yaxley bloke that was a seventh year when we were in our fifth, Rosier, Nott, and some werewolf called Greyback."

Remus growled low in his throat, but only the remaining Marauders heard it.

"So who all got away," Lily asked, looking between her friends nervously. "There weren't many that made it out, were there?"

"No," James said, taking her hand in his. "Only a very few."

Just then the nurse, a young woman named Madame Pomfrey, came bustling over, a silver tray in her hands. Upon the tray was a cup of pumpkin juice, a couple chocolate frogs, and a small glass of what Lily recognized to be Pepperup Potion. "Here you go, dearie," the nurse said, helping her prop herself into a sitting position. "Eat some chocolate and take the potion, then you can change and be on your way." She smiled at the group and walked off to attend to the number of hurt students lying on the other beds.

Lily did as she was told and, soon enough, she was released.

* * *

As the six friends ate dinner that night (the meal was provided in the common rooms – the dead were being identified and Aurors were congregated in the Great Hall) they learned more about what had happened during the fight.

Handsome Amos Diggory had taken Greyback out single handedly, using only the levitation charm repeatedly, just as Lily had on Rookwood. A girl Lily had only met in passing, a Ravenclaw named Pomona Keddle, had unleashed an impressive flock of birds upon Nott. And a tiny little third year Gryffindor, Violet Furmage, stunned both of the Carrows all by herself.

But there was also terrible news. Aside from the students they already knew were dead, there was a fourth year Gryffindor, Gideon Tenebrus, that had been killed by Yaxley.

"I remember him," James said sadly, staring at his untouched plate. "He tried out for Keeper last year."

Students throughout the common room were crying, ignoring their plates of food and clinging to each other. It was just so unreal – the war was supposed to be "out there" not at school. Hogwarts was the safest place they knew. If they weren't safe there…well, they weren't safe anywhere.

Eventually, people started heading off to bed, having nothing else to do with themselves. Mary stood and walked to her staircase, Sirius escorting her. Lily could see the tears in her friend's eyes and was pleased to see Sirius wipe them from her cheeks softly. She looked away and her eyes met James'. He offered her a sad smile and tilted his head towards the notice board, the entry to their dorms. She nodded and he stood and helped her to her feet.

"I think we're going to call it a night," he said to Remus and Peter. They bade them goodnight and walked over to the board.

"Blatherskite," she said to the little lion and, with a flash of his eyes, James and Lily entered their common room.

They were silent for a moment as they walked in, James' reassuring hand on the small of her back. The fire was going in the hearth, just as it always was, and the couch in front of it as inviting as ever. That was where James led her. They sunk into its cushions gracelessly, but not really caring how stupid they may have looked. To say that it had been a rough day was an understatement. It was in that moment Lily realized that she hadn't cried. She hadn't shed one tear for those who were lost. She hadn't sobbed because of the terrible things she'd done to people – and yes, she knew that they were horrible people and deserved it, but the things she did were still terrible. So she started crying, letting James take her into his arms and sooth her in his gentle, purely James-like manner.

It wasn't long before she heard him sniffling too. She looked up and was taken aback by the tears that tracked slowly down his cheeks, the red eyes that had darkened in pain. Lily sat up and disentangled herself from James. He protested, reaching out to her, trying to pull her back into his chest, but she persisted and took him in her arms, his head resting in the crook of her neck. Stroking his soft, unruly hair, she soothed him, enjoying the feeling of cradling him like he had done her not too many nights ago. Eventually, both of their tears slowed, and then stopped all together. Their cheeks dried and their breathing went back to normal, but still they held each other.

But then James did the unexpected.

He pressed his lips to her neck, right near her pulse point. He felt her stop breathing and smiled into her skin before doing it again. With each kiss, he worked his way upward, moving along her jaw, to her cheek and, finally, her lips.

The kiss was soft, sweet, and yet so sad. It lasted only a moment before James pulled back, cradling Lily's face in is callused palms.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" She asked him, her eyes shining like emeralds in the half-light.

He nodded and let her head up to her room, promising to be there momentarily. As she changed into her pajamas, he dashed to his room to do the same. Within moments he was at her door, knocking softly. She let him in and led him to her bed. They crawled in and snuggled close to each other, craving the warmth of another person. They fell into a deep slumber just like that, not to wake till the morning.

* * *

Sadly, Lily's slumber was not as deep or dream-free as James'. She had the dream again that night – the same one she'd had her first night back at the castle - but there were slight differences in what she had originally dreamt. For starters, she caught more details of the room that she and Dream James were in; the walls were covered in old, flowery wallpaper that seemed to have had water damage, and the floor was made from worn stone. The man who burst into the room was dressed in a black cloak that came low over his face, hiding it from view.

But the main difference was what happened right before she was shaken awake. Before, all there had been was a flash of green light. This time something was spoken right before the emerald light overwhelmed her, but it wasn't until she was sitting up in James' arms shivering when she realized what it was.

Avada Kedavra.

"Shh, Lily-flower, shh, it's alright," James cooed, cradling her in the soft morning light.

She found herself gasping as tears streamed down her face, her breath going in and out in hard pants that tore at her throat and left her mouth dry. The last portion of her dream had stuck with her.

"He killed me," she whispered, so quietly that James held his breath as he tried to make out what she was saying. "The Killing Curse…He killed me…James," she turned her face to his, her face pale and lips cracked. The terror in her eyes shook him to his core. "I could feel it. I felt the life get pulled out of me."

Horror ripped through him. What was she talking about? She'd clearly been having a nightmare and the panic in her gaze had begun to dissipate, but the pure, unadulterated fear in her voice shook him to the core. As she snuggled into his embrace, willing her heart rate to slow down, he stroked her hair and gave her the strangest sense of well-being she could have had under the circumstances. A few minutes passed just like that, with James holding Lily as she calmed down.

But their embrace was broken when they jumped at the sound of banging from their common room. They rushed down the staircase and into their room, wands held high – they were still on edge from the day before, but who could blame them? James flicked his wrist and the entrance to the Gryffindor common room opened, revealing a grim faced Professor McGonagall.

"Good morning," she said stiffly, though it was clear that there would be nothing good about that morning. "The Headmaster would like to see you." She paused and took in their appearance: still in pajamas, hair mussed, slightly blurry eyed. "After you get ready of course." She dismissed them and they got ready in a record ten minutes, showers and everything.

McGonagall escorted them through the halls and down various staircases, silent except for her footsteps. James, noticing how shaken Lily still was from the dream, took her hand as they walked behind their Head of House and smiled when she squeezed it. The hallways were deserted, strange for a Monday morning. He tried asking a few times what they were wanted for, but McGonagall either shushed him or just flat out ignored his inquiries. They reached the entrance to Dumbledore's office surprisingly quickly and were met at the top of the enchanted staircase by a rather flustered and nervous looking Norvel Worple – the Minister for Magic.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Evans," he said quickly, grasping each of their hands in turn and shaking them violently. "Minerva," he continued, opening the door to the office and pointing them through. "Thank you for bringing them here. I think that will be all for now." He closed the door in her quickly darkening face and turned back to the Head students.

James and Lily, however, had walked over to Dumbledore, questions tumbling out of their mouths.

"-wouldn't tell us what was going on-"

"-is everything alright-"

"-why is the Minister here-"

"-where is everyone-"

"James, Lily," Dumbledore said calmly, effectively cutting them (and their continuous stream of questions) off. "You have been called here today by my dear friend Norvel and I to receive an invitation that, after yesterday's events, you are most deserving of. James, you and I have already discussed this in the past," he said pointedly and James nodded. "And I believe you have an answer?"

"I'll do it," he replied, his voice hushed.

"Do what?" Lily asked, confused and worried by James' tone.

"Become a member of the anti-Voldemort movement known as the Order of the Pheonix," Dumbledore stated, very matter of fact. "And I hope that you will agree to join us as well, Miss Evans. Your skills, like Mr. Potter's, are much more advanced than many of your classmates."

"And from what I hear," the fidgety Minister added. "You're damn right good with defensive and, err, offensive spells. That number you did on the newly married Lestranges was quite impressive."

She was quiet for a moment. "I'll join as well," she finally said.

"Splendid!" exclaimed Worple, mopping at his brow with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket.

But Dumbledore continued to look at her deeply. "Miss Evans, do you think you need some time to consider this? Mr. Potter had a long time to make his choice and I do not want for you to regret this later."

"I know it'll be dangerous, sir. But I want to help. You were right; after yesterday, I have to do something."

The Headmaster steepled his hands and considered her over his fingers. "Dangerous does not even begin to cover it, my dear."

"Lily, you don't have to join," James urged, turning in his seat and gripping her upper arms. "You don't need to. You'll be safe away from all of this, away from-"

"No, I want to join," she looked to Dumbledore, ignoring the hands that still held her captive. "I really want to, sir."

Dumbledore offered her a small smile and stood, coming around his desk to kneel in front of the two teenagers he had come to admire. "This will be a difficult path to travel down," he warned them as James' hands slid from her arms to her own hands, holding them tenderly. The young man wore a pained expression. "But you wont be alone. The Order has nearly sixty members now, and is growing stronger every day. It is because of the strong young wizards and witches like yourselves that Lord Voldemort will fall."

* * *

As Lily and James made their way back up to Gryffindor tower, hand in hand, James said something that made Lily stop in the middle of the corridor.

"I wish you weren't doing this." It was quiet, so quiet that, for a moment, the Head Girl thought she had imagined it. But it had been said, that much was clear by the stricken look upon his face. Lily felt her cheeks grow warm as James back peddled. "After seeing you in that fight yesterday…I just cant help but worry for you. You mean a lot to me, Lily. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you were gone."

His admission made the heat in her face intensify and tears sprung to her eyes. Without even thinking about it, she threw herself into his arms and her lips met his.

Warm, unyielding, and soft, his lips pressed back against hers as he returned the kiss. James wound his arms around her waist pulled her close to him, chest to chest. Lily's fingers found their way into his messy dark locks, knitting their way through them and pulling slightly, making him moan into her mouth.

"Oi, what're you doing?"

They broke apart and turned to see Sirius, Mary, Remus, and Peter standing at the end of the hall, grinning like fools.

"About damn time!"


	9. Moving On and Discoveries

_**AN: Enjoy! And please review : )**_

_**Also, someone e-mailed me and asked me to make this kind of a 'what-if' story (i.e., make it where James and Lily never died). If I do continue this story to their lives after Hogwarts, do yall want me to make them live? Or should I keep it like JKR made it? The reader that suggested it said I could do it like the Star Trek movie – something happens that leads to an alternate reality where they don't die, but know that it wasn't originally supposed to be that way.**_

_**So please, comment and let me know what you think. Whichever opinion is expressed the most will be used (if I continue the story on that long). **_

_**Thanks so much!**_

Chapter 9 – Moving On and Discoveries

Classes were cancelled for the following week so students could go to the funerals of their peers. There was much sniffling and tears abounded, but once everyone was back at Hogwarts, things began to go back to normal – or, at least, as normal as it could be after losing classmates.

But there was one thing that seemed to pull everyone out of their funk: gossip.

However, this gossip wasn't about who slipped who a love potion, or who pushed who into the lake. It had nothing to do with someone accidentally jinxing their friend's nails to grow at an alarming rate, nor the dare someone carried out that involved an angry gnome, chocolate pudding, and Professor McGonagall's favorite hat. No, what everyone was talking about was Lily and James.

It had all started the morning classes began again, a week after the Battle of Hogsmeade, as the Daily Prophet had dubbed it. The two heads were just walking down to breakfast together when the ghostly (literally) Professor Binns floated through the wall and right through Lily. She jumped and James grabbed her, chucking as she shivered. But that wasn't what had people talking. It was that James kissed her on the forehead as she cuddled into his chest, trying to warm up after the freezing sensation brought on by the spectral teacher. Then the pair had continued on their way, hand in hand, unaware of the uproar they caused in the Great Hall.

"He's dating her?"

"She's dating him?"

"That slut!"

"That prick!"

"I thought they hated each other?"

"What the hell?"

They sat down with their friends who, after a week of getting used to their new relationship, couldn't help but notice the reactions of their fellow students.

"Is it just me," Peter started, glancing around. "Or is just about every girl in here giving Lily death glares?"

Remus gave the hall a cursory look. "No, not just you. And by the looks of it, James' is getting same of the same looks from quite a few blokes."

"Eh, they'll get over it," Sirius surmised.

"Who'll get over what?"

He gestured to the entire room and looked back at Mary. "Everyone that's clearly none too pleased with little Jamsie and Lilykins' newfound love."

"People are so annoying," she complained. Turning to her best friend, she said, "I'd watch my back if I were you. Those Ravenclaws over there look pretty pissed."

"What?" Lily was clearly confused. "What are you talking about."

Mary rolled her eyes and pointed at the offending girls, who quickly ducked down and started eating with an almost obscene vigor. "You're getting all sorts of evil eyes from just about every girl in here."

"Oh…" She finally took a good look around her and was shocked when people stared at her unabashedly. "James," she prodded him in the side as he buttered a piece of toast. "Everyone's staring at us."

"They'll get used to it," he shrugged and gave her a quick smile.

"It won't do any good if they've already hexed me first," she joked.

He put down the toast and took both of her hands in his, and looked deep into her eyes. "I want you to tell me immediately if someone – anyone – does or says anything to you, okay?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now, may I escort you to class?" He offered his arm and Lily couldn't contain her grin; she loved his goofy chivalry.

* * *

Lily thought that everything would be fine as the day wore on. No one had said anything to her about James, and the glares had become fewer and more far between. She made her way to Divination, enjoying the quiet walk alone. She climbed the steeply spiraling stairs at a comfortable pace but, just as she was about to reach the silver ladder beneath the trap door that lead to the classroom above, a voice came from behind her.

"Lily…"

She spun around and came face to face with Snape.

She frowned but retained an appearance of absolute ease, though her heart was pounding erratically. "What do you want?"

"To talk," he offered nervously, messing with a stray thread hanging from his sleeve.

"About?"

He took a deep breath. "I want you to reconsider your answer."

"What on earth are you talking about?" She was thoroughly confused; her answer to what?

"When you spoke with Dolohov, he offered-"

"How do you know about that?" she gasped. "Only Dumbledore knows that."

He smirked, not exactly unkindly, but clearly enjoying the fact that he had shocked her. In the entirety of their friendship, he was never able to take Lily Evans by surprise. "That doesn't matter. But what does matter is that you rethink it. They'll hunt you down if you don't join them."

"You mean us," she snarled, eyeing him with disgust. "You're one of them, everyone knows it."

"But that doesn't mean I don't care about you. And the Dark Lord has become more open to accepting mud – I mean, muggleborns. There's another witch he's recruited that's a muggleborn and she's one of his most trusted, err, followers." He looked at her hopefully.

Lily couldn't contain the repulsion in her voice when she gave him her answer. "This is the last time that I'll say it, Snape," she sneered. "No. I will never join Voldemort." She turned back around and began to climb up the ladder, but Snape grabbed her wrist before she got too high up.

"Please, Lily, I beg of you," he whispered and she was shocked to see his eyes glistening. "They'll kill you if you don't join them. You can't die, Lily, you can't."

She looked down at him sadly, then shook him off. "I'd rather die than be one of you."

Lily continued up the ladder and, when she reached the top, glanced back down, but Snape was gone. So, she went to her normal seat and suffered through what was quickly becoming her least favorite subject. She'd liked it well enough all of the other years she'd taken it, but this year…this year, there was no Mary, no Marauders do make the class fun. Instead, she sat with some girl from Ravenclaw that never spoke to her, no matter how hard she tried.

That particular day, they were covering hydromancy, trying to discern their futures by peering into a shallow bowl of water. Lily followed Professor Lufkin's instructions, closing her eyes and swirling her index finger in the water counter clockwise three times, then clockwise another three times, and then putting her nose a couple centimeters from the surface of the bowl. She opened her eyes and peered into the shimmering liquid, seeing nothing but her reflection: bright emerald eyes (funny shaped, Petunia had always said), her vibrantly red hair, and pink lips.

But suddenly her face was gone, and she was peering into a room instead.

It was dark and there were two figures huddled together on the floor. Lily peered into the room from above – she couldn't help but think back to having a doll house as a little girl; she would take off the roof to play with her dollies inside – and found herself breathing heavily. The door to the room flew open and, a moment later, there was a flash of green light. Her view zoomed in, focusing up close on the face of the dead person. Green eyes, red hair, pale lips.

She looked down on her dead body, too shocked to react.

Her hair was spread around her like a bed of dark fire, and her eyes were still jewel-like, but old dusty ones that no longer sparkled and shined. Her lips had turned the same hue as her skin instead of the pink, alive color they'd been before. But her view was soon obstructed as a head of dark hair slid between live Lily and dead Lily. The shoulders attached to the head shook violently as her body was covered with this living one. She knew immediately that it was James; she didn't need to even think back to her dreams to know it was him – with that shaggy black hair and broad shoulders, it would be impossible to not recognize him.

"Do you see something, my dear?" a shaky old voice said behind her and, just like that, the vision ended.

"I – I, err…no, professor, I didn't see anything."

* * *

When James entered the Head's common room that night, he found Lily curled up on the couch, already in her pajamas, with her haired piled high on top of her head in a messy bun. Her eyes were red-rimmed and she looked absolutely miserable.

"Lily-flower, what's wrong," he asked, rushing to kneel in front of her. "What happened? You weren't at dinner."

"Rough day," she said slowly.

"Did someone say something to you? Something about us?" He looked down almost shyly when he muttered this last part.

Lily shook her head. "Snape cornered me on my way to Divination. He said that he wanted me to rethink my answer to Dolohov."

"How did he know about that?" James blanched. "No one knows except the us, Dumbledore and the-"

"Death Eaters," she finished for him. "Exactly. So he really is one of them now."

"Well, what did you tell him?"

"That I'd rather die."

"That's my girl." He slid onto the couch next to her and pulled her near so she could lean into his side. He slung an arm over her shoulders and planted a kiss on the top of her head. The pair was quiet for a moment, but James took a deep breath and broke the silence. "You know, our first night back, Snape and a bunch of the other Slytherins gave me an offer." He leaned away from her to look her in the eyes. "They told me that if I joined them, you'd be safe."

Her reaction was just what he'd expected. Her green eyes grew wide, her mouth formed and 'O' of surprise, and she gasped. But almost immediately, her gaze grew heated, and her mouth became a thin angry line that would have made McGonagall proud.

"They said I'd be safe?" She fumed, sitting straight up and glaring at James. "Oh, no. Hell no. James, if you agreed to that, I'll hex-"

"I told them I'd think about it."

"WHAT?"

"I'm not going to do it," he assured her, but she still didn't look very happy. "But they told me to give them my final answer by Halloween. So, I figure, they've already gotten my answer, eh?"

"Yes, I suppose they have," she sighed and settled back into his arms. "But what now? Are they really just going to let us slip away that easily?"

"They don't have a choice, do they?" he answered her. "We'll both be in the Order as soon as we graduate. And it isn't like Voldemort doesn't know we won't join him. He'll probably try to kill us now."

Lily nodded gravely. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

* * *

"Now, if you could change your koala bear back into a backpack, Mr. Potter."

James did as the professor said and then sat back down. He loved demonstrating Professor McGonagall's lessons in Transfiguration, not only because he was so good at the subject, but because he actually enjoyed it. He took his seat next to Lily and couldn't help but grin at her as she tried to make her bag do the same as his.

"I just can't quite get it," she mumbled under her breath, trying again and again to make her bag transform and, once again, failing miserably. She groaned loudly. "Why can't I get it?"

"Here," James said, scooting closer. "Let me help."

Two tries later, Lily got it. Sure, her koala looked a little purple – the color of her bag – but she didn't care. "We might have to make a habit out of this," she joked and James smiled.

"Sounds good to me."

"Hey, what about me?" Peter whined, a couple tables away. "You never help me with Transfiguration."

"Well, that's could be because you aren't my girlfriend," he replied with a smirk. The ensuing silence that filled the room made Lily blush and James chuckle. "Yeah, that's right, you all heard me. Lily Evans is my girlfriend!" Sirius let out a wolf whistle and Remus laughed. Mary shook her head, but was smiling. But Snape, sitting far away from the group was frowning.

"That's enough, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said sternly, though a hint of a smile teetered at the corner of her mouth.

James laughed and kissed Lily on the top of her head – a habit she was really beginning to like.

As they and their friends exited the class that day, heading to dinner, Sirius mentioned something that greatly confused both Lily and Mary. The silver eyed Marauder thought he was being sneaky, that his whisper wouldn't be heard by anyone but his cohorts. But, as usual, Sirius was wrong.

"So, what're we doing about tomorrow night? I mean, we'll have the cloak, but Dumbledore's got this place locked up tighter than McGonagall's knickers."

James hushed him and Remus gave him a dark look. Peter looked nervous, wringing his hands and glancing at his friends anxiously.

"Did you hear that?"

Lily answered Mary's hushed question with an imperceptible nod.

"So, what are we going to do about it?"

Lily grinned. "We're going to follow them and see just what they're up to."

* * *

That night after dinner, Remus went to the hospital wing, complaining of a headache. Lily thought back to when she and Snape had been friends. He'd had a theory about Remus Lupin and, at first, Lily had agreed with him completely – how could Dumbledore think it was okay to let a werewolf go to Hogwarts? They were dangerous creatures and to have them in a school full of children…

But then Lily had prefect duties with him.

Remus truly was one of the sweetest, kindest people she'd ever met and, after their first night of patrols, she decided that she didn't care if he was a werewolf or not. He was her friend, the only Marauder that she could tolerate at the time, and she would never think ill of him. So she'd pushed the thoughts of his possible lycanthropy out of her head and instead focused on his friendship.

She'd be a liar to say that she didn't think Sirius' comment had nothing to do with Remus being a werewolf – she was pretty much positive that he was. But what would James, Sirius, and Peter be able to do when their friend was a werewolf? So she and Mary retreated to the library not long after Remus went to the nurse.

"Mary doesn't really get the charms homework," she lied when James asked her why they were going there when they'd already done their homework. "I promised I'd help her."

But there were no charms on the agenda – just a plan to follow the Marauders undetected and see what they were up to.

* * *

That next night after dinner, James gave Lily and hug and kissed her softly as he, Sirius, and Peter went off to visit Remus.

"See you in the morning, Lily-flower," he said, smiling.

"Alright. Tell Remus we said hi and to feel better soon."

They parted ways. But just as the three boys reached the end of the hallway, Mary and Lily saw James pull something out of his bag.

"That'll be the invisibility cloak," Lily moaned, then straightened up. "Homenum Revelio."

And it was suddenly just like the boys were walking away without their cloak. It was actually somewhat comical to see them so close to each other – Sirius pressing against James' back, Peter holding on to Sirius' belt loop, and James, holding what looked like a spare bit of parchment (except for the fact that he was studying it intently as they moved along).

"What is it? Can you see them?"

Lily nodded and whispered back a report on what they were doing and their progress. She turned and looked back in time to see James put up the parchment and start to make his way forward with Sirius and Peter close behind. Once the boys had made it around the corner, the girls snuck around behind them, keeping a safe distance. They made it to the grounds in this same manner until, finally the boys stopped right in front of the Whomping Willow. That was when things began to grow much more bizarre. Peter shrunk down until the girls couldn't see him at all, though there was a trail of movement through the grass that indicated where he was – the base of the violent tree. They saw a little more movement as a shrunken Peter seemingly jumped on a knot in the tree's roots, making it still as a statue. With that, James and Sirius took off down an apparently hidden tunnel, still under the cloak, with tiny Peter trailing behind, as always.

And just like that, they were gone.

"Merlin," Mary whispered. "How the hell are we going to get past the tree?"

"I have an idea." Lily raised her wand and pointed it at, not the bulge in the roots, a good sized rock a couple feet away. "Wingardium Leviosa." The rock rose from the ground and floated to the knot, where it was dropped, freezing the tree.

The girls scrambled down into the passageway. Lily was praying that the boys weren't doing something all that bad – even though, just by getting down here, they had to have already broken a dozen school rules. And yes, she knew that it was a full moon that night and that Remus would be changing into a werewolf. When she had brought that up in the library the day before, Mary had become weary of their plot.

"I don't know if it's such a good idea," she had said. "I mean, if there's a werewolf down there…we could get killed, Lily."

"But what if the boys are sneaking off just because they can? What if it has nothing to do with Remus at all?"

And so they'd gone through with it. But now Lily was beginning to get nervous; the tunnel was extremely dark, but both girls were too scared to light their wands – suppose the boys saw the lights and came back to investigate? Or if there was a werewolf down there and it – Remus – saw it? So they wandered in the darkness for a little while until they came upon animalistic noises. They weren't menacing at all; just the happy barking of dogs.

"What, are the harboring illegal puppies down here?" Mary joked, but it fell flat the closer they got, especially when a rat scurried at them from the front, then turned tail and hurried back the way it came. For a moment the excited yipping continued, then it stopped immediately. The girls froze, listening with all of their might. They suddenly heard footsteps, but that wasn't right, they were more like hoof steps; slow and tentative. Then they heard the joyful dog noise again, but this time from much farther off. The sound of the walking came louder and closer until there was a large form standing before them. All Lily could make out was that it had four legs, and huge antlers atop its head.

"It's a stag," she whispered and, for some reason was compelled to light her wand. "Lumos." The tunnel was flooded with light and, sure enough, there was a large stag standing before them. Its eyes widened and she momentarily thought that it might charge them. But all it did was look down.

And then James was standing in its place.


	10. The Truth

AN: Sorry it took so long, we had a little family emergency...Anyways, I need to know what anyone thinks about the possibility of James and Lily never dying…can't decide if I like it or not. So please, do leave a comment – just a simple yes or no will do!

Chapter 10 – The Truth

"James?"

"You need to get out of here, now," he said quickly, ushering them back down the passage. "He'll be back any moment."

"But James, you were-"

"Not now, Lily," he growled. She was shocked by his hard, angry tone, so she didn't speak until they reached the base of the Whomping Willow.

"Be careful," she whispered, leaning into him and kissing him softly on the cheek. Mary had already exited the passageway and Lily was grateful that he friend didn't witness the moment. Lily didn't wait for a response from him; she crawled out and darted after Mary, allowing her friend to lead her back up to the castle.

"He's an animagus," Mary kept repeating, face pale and eyes wide. "An illegal one, I'm sure of it. My brother, Martin, was thinking about it but couldn't get it down – kept getting a horse's ass and looking like a deformed centaur – but I helped him look it up this past summer and James isn't on the registered list."

Lily shook her head, suddenly noticing that a headache had come over her. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. He'll explain everything later, I know he will. Let's just…let's just get to bed."

* * *

Lily heard James come in early that morning, before the sun had even come up. She was sitting up in her bed, toying with a chunk of her hair that she had been braiding, unbraiding, and rebraiding for the past hour and a half. She was relieved that he had made it back; the continuous worry she felt for him was only slightly diminished by her knowledge of his animal form. Lily was smart and, when Snape had been so obsessed with Remus and his activities every full moon, she had done her homework. From that, she knew that werewolves were only a danger to humans when they transformed – other animals were safe in their presence. James had clearly become and animagus to help his friend cope with what she had read were terribly painful transformations. After some more thought, she realized that there was no way he was the only one. Sirius and Peter were sure to be animagus' as well; that would explain the barking that accompanied the wolf's howls.

Lily assumed that James would have gone straight to bed after returning to the Heads' dorm and was, therefore, surprised when he walked into her room unannounced.

"Lily," he whispered, shock written on his features. "I thought you'd be…"

"Asleep?" She couldn't help but smirk a little at his obvious discomfort. The poor bloke was coming in to check on her, expecting her to be asleep. "How could I after tonight?"

He shrugged. "I don't know." He stood awkwardly in the doorway for another moment until Lily patted a spot on the side of her bed. James gave a small smile and joined her there. "Look, I'm sure you have so many questions about tonight, and I can answer some, but some aren't mine to talk about."

"I know Remus is a werewolf," she said lightly. "Actually, I've known since Snape brought it up our third year."

"And you never mentioned it to him?"

"To Remus?" She looked down at her hands, folding them in her lap. "Of course not. That would be so…insensitive. Besides," she shrugged. "It really doesn't matter, does it? He's still one of the kindest, most thoughtful people and I know and that's all I care about."

She had barely finished when James practically jumped her, his body pressing down on her's, his hazel eyes on her green ones. "You are absolutely amazing." He kissed her hard on the mouth and, after a dizzying moment, she kissed him back. When they finally broke apart, James settled in next to her, his arm around her shoulders and her head on his chest.

After a few moments of post-kiss bliss, Lily broke the comfortable silence. "So, how long have you been an unregistered animagus?"

"Since fifth year," he sighed, pushing his glasses on top of his head and rubbing his eyes sleepily. "We'd known about Remus for a while, but knew there was nothing he could do. The McGonagall-"

"-did her lesson on animagus and you lot got an idea," Lily finished for him, smiling to herself. "It took you that long to figure it all out?"

He nodded against the top of her head. "It's some really hard magic, Lily-flower."

"Well, what are Sirius and Peter?"

"Dog and a rat," he yawned, burrowing his face into her hair.

A rat, she thought to herself. There was a rat in the passage way, right before James had found them…

"How did you know Mary and I were down there?" She asked.

"Mhm," he mumbled, his breath hot on her head. She turned slowly and looked up at him. James had fallen asleep.

Lily giggled to herself and carefully slid out from under his arm, trying her best not to disturb him. Kneeling next to his slumbering form, she took him in: glasses still perched atop his shaggy head, eyes slammed shut, mouth barely open, a hand across his stomach, the other resting where she had been, legs out straight in front of him, and his shoes were still on his feet. Feeling a bit like a doting mother, she plucked his glass off and laid them on the bedside table then moved down to his feet, where she removed his shoes and set them on the floor by the bed. She worked the covers out from under him and then pulled them up to his chest before crawling in next to him and nestling into his arm. It instinctively pulled her closer and she couldn't help but sigh into his embrace. Soon, she too was fast asleep.

* * *

When James awoke the next morning, he found himself in a different bed, pressed up against a soft, small body. He knew immediately who it was. He loved the feeling of his chest against her back, his arms around her, their feet tangled together under the covers. It was in that moment that he knew Lily was the love of his life. It was almost as if his thoughts woke her. She turned in his arms and snuggled into him, her arms circling his waist, her leg running up his. The feel of her soft breathing on his neck made his face break into a wide grin.

"Lily," he whispered. "I think we best get up."

"No," she groaned, pressing her head farther into chest and drawing out the word.

He chuckled and hugged her close, then checked his watch. "It's a little after ten. If we get up now we can make it down for the last bit of breakfast." She only cuddled more. "Don't you want some toast, marmalade?" He decided to go for the gold. "How about waffles?"

She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, saying quickly, "Okay, time to get up! Go get dressed!"

He laughed openly at her antics, walking by the now closed bathroom door, and to his own room. He got dressed, brushed his teeth, and reached over to his bed stand for his glasses. When he came up empty handed, he furrowed his eyebrows in thought and came to one conclusion: they were in Lily's room. Not really even thinking about it, he ventured down his staircase, back up hers, and opened her door.

He immediately wished he had knocked. So badly. He really, really, really wished he had knocked.

Lily was standing in front of her wardrobe, picking out what clothes she would wear on that lovely Saturday. The only problem was, she wasn't wearing any at that particular moment. All she was clad in was a simple white bra and matching panties. She looked up at him, shocked.

"I – err – unlocked – glasses," he stuttered, just standing there and staring at her. He finally came to his senses and slapped his hands over his eyes. "Not looking."

He heard the rustle of clothing and soft laughter, then a small pair of hands covering his as they were peeled back from his eyes. But, for once in his life, James Potter was embarrassed. He'd seen the girl he knew he loved in her undergarments and had freaked out like some prepubescent mummy's boy. So he kept his eyes shut firmly.

"James," Lily cooed, trailing her hands across his forehead, his nose, his cheek bones, and his lips. "You can open your eyes now." He hesitated for a moment, but gave in. She stood before him fully clothed this time, wearing a pair of jeans and a simple blouse. He was relieved. "So, how about that breakfast?"

He grinned and nodded, taking her by the hand and leading her from the room. "Let's go get some waffles."

* * *

They spent the rest of the afternoon outside by the lake, holding hands as they lay on their backs by the shoreline. They talked about everything - from Lily's estranged sister, to James' summer spent in the Isle of Wight, and everything in between.

"So he comes knocking on our door in the middle of the night, absolutely soaked because it was raining in London. My dad got the door and he was standing there with his trunk and all he said was, 'Heya, Mr. Potter. Can I stay here for a bit?' And of course they let him," James told her, eyes twinkling. "It wasn't until the next morning that he told us what had happened. His mum had been screaming about some poster he'd put up on his wall – a muggle one with loads of girls in bathing suits – with a permanent sticking charm and, one thing led to another, and he ran."

"That's awful," Lily said quietly, rolling over onto her side to look at him. He turned his head to her and smiled.

"But he's a lot happier now. Growing up with a family like his…what you have to understand is, families like the Blacks have been the way they are for ages. It's not so much about what's right and wrong to them, more like thinking for themselves or not."

"And Sirius thought for himself."

"Exactly." James smiled at her and she went back to lying on her back. "So, tell me about when you and Mary first met. How'd that work out?"

Lily giggled, thinking about their chance encounter. "Well, I hate to say it, but if it weren't for you and Sirius, we wouldn't have. You remember when Snape and I left your compartment that first train ride?" He nodded almost ashamedly. "Well, we were trying to find another and I literally ran into her. She was coming out of her compartment – she was with Alice, Marlene, and a couple other girls – to check for the woman with the sweet cart and we just bumped into each other. We said such horrid things! She told me to watch where I was going and I told her to shove off and then we were sitting next to each other, like we'd been best friends for ages."

"You know, from the very first day of classes, the two of you were mine and Sirius' biggest problem," he chuckled, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "We were in every class together and you were so pretty, but wouldn't give us the time of day."

"The pair of you were the most annoying, arrogant blighters!"

"Aha!" he shouted triumphantly. "You said were! You don't think we are anymore!"

"Of course not," she sniffed humorously. "If you were, I'd still have nothing to do with you."

"Oh, Lily-flower, you have such a way with words-"

He was cut off by loud barking. They looked up, towards the forest, to see a great shaggy black dog sprinting towards them; tongue lolling, ears up, tail wagging.

Lily sat up as it reached them, cautious of it, but it came straight to her, placing its front paws on her shoulders and licking her full in the face. She screeched joyously, pulling her heard back and scratching the dog behind its ears. It made little contented noises and dropped its paws from around her neck, leaning instead into her chest.

"Aw, you're a sweet fellow, aren't you?" She cooed, planting a kiss atop his head.

"Lily, I wouldn't do that." James was clearly upset, though Lily couldn't see why.

"What are you talking about? He's adorable!"

"It's Sirius."

She paused, then pushed the dog away from her chest. He whined pitifully and sent James what was unmistakably a glare. "Sirius? Is that you?"

The dog whined again, but, after a look from James, dropped its head and transformed back into the seventh year Gryffindor.

"Hey Lily," he said cordially, as if he hadn't been a dog pressed up against her breasts only moments before.

"If you ever come around me as a dog again, I'll neuter you," she swore, eyeing him angrily.

* * *

Time passed and the students and staff of Hogwarts continued to move on, confidant that things had gotten better. Students went about their daily lives – doing homework, going to Quidditch practice, and snogging their significant other in broom closets – but weren't shielded completely from the horror of the world outside the walls of the school. The Daily Prophet brought regular reports of Voldemort's continued terrible acts, the deaths he and his followers caused to wizarding and muggle families alike. At least once every couple of weeks, a student was called out of class, breakfast in the Great Hall, or the library to be told their family had been obliterated.

But, still, life went on at Hogwarts.

The Halloween deadline the Death Eater Slytherins had placed on James came and went with absolutely no contact from the 'smarmy army'. The Head Boy supposed that they had gotten his message loud and clear that day in Hogsmeade.

It was about halfway through November when anything actually happened again. The Marauders were lounging about the Gryffindor common room, discussing James' upcoming game against Hufflepuff.

"That Diggory bloke's thickheaded as they come," Sirius was saying as he munched on one of Remus' chocolate frogs. "But, as much as I hate to say it, he's a damn good beater. If we could get him out within the first few minutes-"

But just then Lily and Mary burst in through the portrait hole, twin expressions of fear on their faces.

"Have you seen it?" Lily asked, bustling past the boys and to the window, throwing open the heaving curtains and pointing towards the Forbidden Forest. "Look."

There was a quick scuffle to see who could get there first and, after a few well aimed elbows and quite a bit of cursing, Lily and Mary were up against the window, James behind the redhead, Sirius behind the blonde, with Remus between the boys and Peter on Sirius' shoulders.

"Merlin, Pete," he complained. "You weigh a ton."

Floating high above the tree tops was what was unmistakably a misty green skull that had a serpent for a tongue. Though she'd never seen one in person before, Lily knew what the Dark Mark was…and what it meant. She felt James' hand reach for and tighten around her own and found herself retreating into his chest. The fight in Hogsmeade had only been a month and a half ago – was there going to be an attack this often all year?

"Well," Sirius, ever the impatient one, began. "What are we going to do about it?"

Lily gave him a look and said, "Nothing. We're not going to do anything. Dumbledore and McGonagall and the Ministry will handle this."

"But what if it's like Hogsmeade-"

"That was a onetime thing," James told him, his eyes flashing angrily. "We fought because we had no other choice. There were no teachers around. We aren't going to seek out trouble, Sirius."

The taller boy rolled his eyes. "I know, but it doesn't look like they're doing anything about it to me."

"Actually," Peter squeaked, pointing out the window. "I think they are."

Everyone turned their attention back out the window, where Dumbledore, Worple ("Hopping hippogriffs, that's the Minister for Magic!" Mary shouted), and a crazed looking man ("That's Mad-Eye," James intoned) were exiting the woods, a covered stretcher floating behind them.

"They're headed towards the Great Hall," Lily said and, with one shared look between the six of them, they were immediately out of the portrait hole, tearing down staircases and through corridors until they reached the grand room. Sure enough, their Headmaster, Minister, and the scary looking Auror were there, examining what was on the floating stretcher. When Lily saw it, she gasped and buried her face into James' chest. Mary started crying and Sirius held her surprisingly tenderly. Peter was shaking. James stroked Lily's hair, but couldn't take his eyes off of the body. And Remus was standing behind them, trying to control his breathing.

The body was, to put it bluntly, destroyed. It was small – the person was an elf, a goblin, or a small child – and mangled, blood covering the ripped, chewed, and torn flesh.

"Please keep the others away," Dumbledore said to the group as other curious students began to make their way down the staircase, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on. James set his shoulders and pried Lily from him.

"It's alright, you're okay," he whispered, kissing her on the forehead. "But we've got to keep them away right now."

She nodded and wiped at her teary eyes. "Everyone needs to go back to their common rooms," she shouted, trying to remain calm. "Your Head of House will be up their shortly." Reluctantly, their peers went back to where they had come from, eyeing the now covered body curiously.

"We'll have to move it soon," Moody whispered. Lily glanced up at his face and got her first good look at him. It was almost like every fight he'd been in had taken its toll upon his features; they were cracked, scarred, and broken. But it was his eye – electric blue, huge, and zooming in every direction – that caught her attention and gave meaning to his nickname. "Potter," he said suddenly, walking from the stretcher and to the Head Boy to shake his hand. "It's good to see you, lad. If you stick around for a bit, you might see your parents."

"They're coming?"

"Oh yeah," he said. "We need their help with, err, contacting the family."

"So you know who it is then?" Lily asked, shocking herself by her sudden bravery before such a man.

His gaze slipped down to her. "And you must be Miss Evans, the Head Girl," he smiled gruffly. "I've got to say, you did some impressive damage to those Death Eaters in Hogsmeade. I saw Lestrange after. He's good as new now," he spat out bitterly. "But you certainly scared the piss out of him."

"I, err, thanks. But about the body…"

"Oh," he glanced back at Dumbledore and Worple who were in a deep discussion. "It's a little muggle girl, about ten years old."

Lily thought she was going to be sick. She could hear Mary sobbing behind her again.

"How?" Remus choked out.

"Looks like a wolf or something got to her."

Lily heard another choked sob, but this one wasn't from Mary – it was Remus.

Dumbledore, having noticed, rushed over and began what seemed to be a rehearsed speech. "It wasn't you. The Dark Mark wouldn't be there if it had been. Lord Voldemort has staged a breakout from Azkaban. It was-"

"Greyback," Remus howled, burying his head in his hands. "It's always him."

"There was nothing you could have done," the headmaster whispered. "Absolutely nothing. You are not at fault by any means. There was nothing you could have done." Professor McGonagall came bustling into the hall that very minute. "Minerva, could you take Mr. Lupin to my office? I believe there is a cup of tea up there meant for him." The stern woman nodded and led the tear-blinded werewolf away.

* * *

About an hour had passed since they had ventured down to the Great Hall. The body of the little girl had been taken to St. Mungo's and her parents – a muggle born wizard and his muggle wife – had been taken there as well. The Potters had arrived around a quarter after eleven, having been the ones to initially contact the parents.

"Oh, hi, sweetheart." Mrs. Potter embraced her son, then Sirius, then Peter. "Are you all alright?" The two unrelated young men nodded, but James just stared at her.

"What happened?"

She looked over at her husband who was just saying goodbye to Moody. "There was a mass break out from Azkaban last night. All of the Death Eaters who were a part of the raid on Hogsmeade got out. We don't know what happened after that, but somehow Fenrir Greyback got loose and…" She trailed off as Mr. Potter joined them. "Her name was Pippa Madley. She would have started here next fall."

"Where's Remus?" Mr. Potter asked, clearly concerned. "He must be taking this news of Greyback very hard."

James nodded sadly. "Yeah, he's with Dumbledore and McGonagall." He suddenly snapped to attention. "Oh, mum and dad, I want you to meet my – err, this is Lily Evans."

"Hi, Lily," his mother smiled. "It's so nice to finally meet you. You should have heard James and the boys talking about you over the summers-"

"Mum!"

"Right, right. Sorry, dear." She flashed Lily a smile that clearly said she wasn't sorry. Lily felt herself smiling back.

"It's very nice to meet you," Mr. Potter said cordially, though he winked at her like an old friend. He held out a hand she shook it. "Always an honor to meet the Head Girl. So," he paused and looked to his son. "How long have you been courting this young lady?"

"Seven years," Sirius muttered.

"Just a couple of weeks," Lily broke in, shooting Sirius a withering glare.

"Well," Mrs. Potter grinned again. "He's a lucky boy."

"Oh, mum."

"What, you are! She is a lovely girl and-"

The screeching of an owl interrupted her midsentence. Everyone looked up as it swooped over them, coming to rest on the stone rail at the bottom of the staircase. Mr. Potter walked towards it quickly, taking the note off of its foot and reading it lightning fast. He finished and looked back at his wife.

"All right then, it's time for us to get going," she said, the picture of ease, though there was something behind her eyes that startled Lily: worry. She went around the circle hugging everyone, giving James two, and then took off with her husband who gave them all a wave. As they passed by Moody, Mr. Potter said something to him and he followed, looking a bit surprised, but not all that anxious.

"Now, what do you reckon that was about?" Sirius asked and James just shrugged.

"That happens all the time at home."

"Come on," Mary said quietly. "Let's go back to the common room. I don't want to be down here anymore."

Sirius slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him as they began the trek back upstairs, followed closely by Peter. James reached for Lily's hand, but she held him back, letting their friends get ahead of them.

"It was really nice to meet your parents," she told him almost shyly. "I mean, not necessarily under these circumstances, but – I guess – what I'm trying to say is that I really like them."

His face lit up and he took both of her hands in his bigger ones. "Good, because I could tell they really liked you. Especially my mum." He paused, his face changing drastically to sadness and…fear? "Lily, after today…I just want you to be safe. And I was thinking about something last night after you went back up to the castle. Maybe I should say yes."

"Say yes to…?"

He sighed deeply. "To Voldemort."

Lily was stunned to say the least. She felt her mouth open and close a number of times, but no sound seemed to be able to reach it. Her heart was racing and her breathing was shallow. But she took several deep, steadying breaths and calmed herself.

"No."

"I wouldn't really be with them," he said, having realized her thoughts. "I would be a sort of double agent – they'd think I was on their side, but I'd really be reporting back to Dumbledore."

"James…just, no."

"But don't you get it? If they think I'm one of them, I can find out their plans, who they're after. I can…I can protect you."

"Who's going to protect you?" She asked him, eyes blazing. She was furious and he found himself a little frightened of her. "Tell me that, James. Because when they find out you aren't really one of them – and they will find out, mind you – they will kill you. You won't get a slap on the wrist and a couple months of detention. You'll be dead. So, no. No!"

"Well what do you suggest I do then?"

"Fight with the Order!"

"But how can I protect you like that? I can't!"

"You don't need to! I can take care of myself!"

"Oh, yeah, sure you can. That's why you walked right into a werewolf's den that night!"

"Just shut up, Potter!"

James went silent. "You haven't called me that since the beginning of last year."

"Yeah, because you'd stopped being an arrogant berk," she retorted, but at the hurt look on his face, she stopped. "James, I can take care of myself. I appreciate your concern, I really do, but it's unnecessary."

"Lily, I," he started, but trailed off.

"What is it?"

He tried again. "I love you. I love you and I can't have you getting hurt. I just cant."

"And that's why I don't want you working with Voldemort," she said softly, reaching for him. He took her in his arms and held her close. "I can't have you getting hurt either. I…I think I love you, too, James."

She didn't know what she'd expected after her admission, but James' mouth coming down hard on her's was to her liking. She kissed him back and knew, one hundred percent, that what she said was true.

She loved James.


	11. Quidditch and Christmas Discoveries

AN: And another! Enjoy and review!

Chapter 11 – Quidditch and Christmas Discoveries

Rumors ran rampant for weeks as to what had happened that day – everyone knew the Potters ("Two of the best Aurors of our age," Lily heard a sixth year Hufflepuff say to his classmates) had come to help with the investigation and that it had been a young muggle-born that was murdered. But it was about the ways she was killed that had the entire school abuzz. "I read in the paper that it was Greyback," Alice said to Lily one morning as they ate breakfast. "But everyone around here is talking about a local werewolf – from Hogsmeade, they suspect – that went on a sort of rampage. But no one really believes it," she covered quickly, misreading Lily' pained expression. "Everyone knows about the break-out from Azkaban, that Greyback was one of the ones that escaped, so it had to have been him."

And Lily was sure it was.

James, Sirius, and Peter would have never let Remus out of their sight long enough when he was transformed to so much as pee on a tree – so there was no way her friend could have done it. And then, of course, there was the Dark Mark. Definitely done by Greyback. Unfortunately, it seemed that Remus needed the most convincing. He stressed how he had no recollection of the night to his friends, but they shot him down every time, reminding him that they were there. Finally, Sirius got so outdone with him that he shouted in front of the entire common room, "If you still think it's your fault, then you clearly don't trust us!" The two Marauders didn't talk for a week after that, but Remus finally apologized and everything went back to the way it should have been.

The same day they made-up was the day of the Gryffindor – Hufflepuff Quidditch match. James had eaten only a small portion of his usual breakfast feast, sticking solely to some unbuttered toast.

"C'mon, Prongs," Sirius whined, slapping his best friend hard on the back. "You've got to eat more than just that. Here, have some bacon."

* * *

"And there goes Potter off with the Quaffle," announced Jack Marchbanks, a third year Ravenclaw. "He passes to Graves, who passes to Fletwock, then back to Potter, and GOAL! That makes 30 to zero, Gryffindor!"

The crowd cheered and James grinned. He didn't know why he'd been so nervous that morning. Maybe he'd just still been on edge because of the death of the young girl. Or, perhaps, he was just always on edge. It wasn't like he could help it; it seemed as if everything just wasn't right in the world.

Sirius zoomed by him to intercept a bludger, sending it hurling towards Diggory. The zooming ball knocked him off his broom and he landed with a muted thud below.

"Damn, I wish they wouldn't use that softening charm on the field," he said ruefully.

But James wasn't paying attention. His eyes were up about fifty feet above them where little Irma Dorcans was racing across the sky.

"And Dorcans has seen the snitch! Hufflepuff seeker, Halwyn Dawcett, is right on her tail…."

The entire stadium held its breath until –

"And Gryffindor wins!"

"That was bloody brilliant!" Sirius shouted, running over to the twelve year old and scooping her up in his arms. The entire team had landed ungracefully, too excited to do much besides cheer and clap each other on the back. The small girl squealed and held her snitch up high, soaking in how wonderful it was to win.

James felt like his face would split in two from smiling so much, but he didn't care. This was how it was all meant to be, just like this, and he hoped things would stay the way they were forever.

* * *

Lily and James sat together on the couch in the Gryffindor common room that night, laughing heartily at Sirius' and – surprisingly – Remus' antics. The pair was dancing around foolishly, linking arms and doing strange little ditties, eventually pulling Peter out of a chair and making him the leader of their three-person conga line.

"How much Firewhiskey have they had?" Lily asked James, an eyebrow quirked comically.

He grinned. "A lot."

"And where, pray tell, did they acquire this most distasteful drink from?"

"Ah, a magician never reveals his secrets, milady."

"Who introduced you to that nifty muggle phrase," Mary asked him, sinking into the spot on the couch next to Lily. In her hand was a bottle of Butterbeer, according to the label, but Lily got a whiff of what was inside…

"Are you drinking Firewhiskey, too?"

"Oh, Merlin, Lily, 'course I am," she said slowly.

The redhead rolled her eyes dramatically. "Of course you are. Seems like everyone has been drinking tonight. I didn't even know that Remus drank before this!"

"He's been drinking a long time," James informed her. "That was how he used to get through the transformations."

"Well, spank my arse and call me a pixie," Mary shouted, getting to her feet precariously. "Is that a conga line?" She sped over to the other Marauders and joined them, getting in line behind Sirius. She slapped him hard across the buttocks and grabbed onto his waist as the group made their way around the room.

Lily rolled her eyes and turned to James. She seemed to consider him for a moment. He raised his eyebrows and quirked his head before leaning in to her. She did the same and kissed him, pulling back a moment later.

"What was that for?" he asked, almost dazedly.

"To see if you've been drinking."

"And?"

"Not at all." She smiled up and him and he smiled down at her.

"So, now I guess I need to see if you've been drinking," he teased, leaning into her again.

She snaked her arms up around his neck. "I guess you do."

* * *

Lily woke up breathing heavily, feeling the sweat covering her body. She sat up, clutching at her heart, and wheezing for air. She'd had the dream again, but it had been so long since she'd last had it, a month or two perhaps. Once Lily had once again gotten control over herself, her name shouted from downstairs had her jumping out of bed and racing down the stairwell, fearing the worst. She had her wand in her hand and at the ready when she reached the bottom.

"Lily, come look!" James said, still in his pajama pants and t-shirt, grinning like a fool. "Presents! Happy Christmas!"

She felt her wand arm lower and heart rate begin to slow. She walked over to James, feeling practically exhausted from her dream and the scare she'd just experienced. Once she reached him, she punched him once in his broad – and hard, she couldn't help but notice – chest.

"Ow," he complained rubbing at the spot like it had actually hurt. "Why'd you do that?"

"Because you scared me," she said quietly, going to sit on the couch and laying her head against the back of it, closing her eyes and placing a hand over them. She felt James sit beside her and, the next thing she knew, she was on her back, the Head Boy leaning above her. "James!"

"What's wrong? You're worried."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Please, flower. Please tell me what's wrong?"

Lily made the grievous mistake of looking him in the eyes. "Oh damn it all." She sighed. "I keep having this dream…" She explained it all to him and he frowned.

"Maybe you should talk to Professor Lufkin," he suggested, looking unusually grave.

"Why would I want to do that?" She asked him suspiciously.

He exhaled deeply and ran a hand over his eyes. "Because that sounds like a premonition to me."

The pair was silent for a moment until Lily broke into laughter. "A premonition?" she giggled. "You think that my nightmare is the future? Wow, James, that's-" she broke into another fit of giggles. "-that's something!"

"I'm serious! It could very well be foretelling something that's going to happen to us!"

"Oh, James" she wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes. "I appreciate you making me feel better, but honestly-"

"No, Lily, I'm not joking!" He jumped to his feet and pulled her up with him. "You know what, Christmas can wait, c'mon." He held tightly to her hand and yanked her out of their common room, the Gryffindor common room, and into the hallway. He took off at the brisk pace, Lily's hand tight in his.

"Where are we going?" She asked, almost a little frightened by his behavior.

"The library."

To put it simply, she was a bit shocked. "But why?"

"We need to look something up."

Lily didn't complain at all after that, only doing what James said. He took her back to the divination part of the library and started handing down a number of books, instructing her to look through them.

Sure enough, nearly three hours and a good hundred or so books later, they had an answer.

"You are having premonitions," James said. "You really are. And now we know why."

Lily was in shock. She went over and over the information again and again. But it all added up.

"So I'm a seer?"

"I don't know," James shrugged. "You might just be a – what do they call it? A semi-clairvoyant?"

"And it's all because of 'Ragmar Twycross'?"

"Or his son Roderick, really."

"So Roderick was a squib that married a muggle?"

"Yes," he searched across the page. "A Miss Abigail Buckley."

"And they had a daughter-"

"Miss Edith Twycross."

"Who married a muggle named-"

"Robert Evans."

Lily was still just in a state of shock. "Those are my parents' names."

"That means you're mother's father was a squib. That's why you're a witch and a semi-clairvoyant." James ran a hand through his hair. "Is there a way to talk to him? To make sure?"

She shook her head. "He died before I was born. So, I guess we're just going to have to go with this, then? My great-grandfather was the famous seer Ragmar Twycross."

As they walked back to their common room hand in hand, Lily said, "Can we keep this just between us, for now?"

He nodded. "Of course."

They went on their way quietly until they were only a staircase away from Gryffindor tower. Footsteps were coming from the corridor in front of them, quickly and briskly. James glanced around wildly, kicking himself mentally for not bringing the cloak, but this was one of the only halls in the entire castle that didn't have a secret passageway or trick tapestry. They were cornered and out of time.

Professor Tancid came strolling towards them. At first, she didn't even notice them; she was too preoccupied with the stack of books in her arms. But it was impossible for her not to notice the two Head students out of their dormitory, in their nightclothes.

"Well, well, well," she said snidely. "What have we here?"

"Hello, professor," James said carefully.

"Mr. Potter and Ms. Evans, may I ask why you are in your pajamas?" Lily hated the way Tancid's eyes took her in from head to foot, then roamed over James' form hungrily.

"Wanted to check out something in the library," he grunted.

Her look was pure evil then. "And what, exactly, did you want to check out?"

"There was a word I found in a book my mum and dad sent me that I wanted to look up," Lily lied easily, feeling no remorse. "James was kind enough to accompany me."

"Correct if I'm wrong, Miss Evans, but aren't your parents muggles?"

Lily blanched, but kept her composure. "Yes. And?"

"And I wonder what kind of book they could have sent you that would require you to look in a wizarding library for an answer concerning something in it."

"Well, I think that's beside the point," James cut in tersely. "We were in the library and there are no rules prohibiting early morning visits. Now if you'll excuse us." He placed a hand on the small of Lily's back and led her past the revolting woman. But they paused and turned at her next words.

"It was really stupid of you to turn them down," she said softly, though her tone was harsh. "The most idiotic thing either of you will do in your young lives. And do you want to know why?" She smirked at them venomously. "Because you'll be dead soon." And with that, she turned on her heel and strode off down the hall.

Lily was shaking as James held her and led her back to their common area. "It's alright," he whispered in her ear. "Everything is going to be okay. They won't get you, I won't let them."

But as they stepped through the Fat Lady's portrait, a chorus of 'Happy Christmas!' met their ears. The Marauders and Mary were sitting in front of the fire, opening their own presents. Their cheerful faces turned to frowns as they took in James stoic gloom and Lily's sudden tears.

"What's wrong?"

"Did something happen?"

"Who did it?"

Everyone looked at Sirius for this last comment. "What?" he shrugged. "I was hoping it was some Slytherin so I would have a good excuse to beat the snake shit out of them."

"It was a teacher actually," Lily sniffed. "And I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to weasel out of that easily."

"It was Tancid, wasn't it," Mary asked and Lily nodded. "What happened?"

Lily and James explained everything to them, from the day Tancid held Lily after class ("That bitch!" Sirius shouted about Tancid's dirty words) to just moments ago when she'd basically threatened them.

"So, what are you going to do?" Peter asked them.

During the course of their story, Lily had realized something that hadn't occurred to her before. She let Tancid get pleasure out of everything she said. Sure, Lily had gotten her pretty good with her comment about her heritage, but she'd still cried today from the 'rancid whore's' (Mary's nickname for her) intimidating words. So, she decided that she was done with letting Tancid get away with this – whatever it was, Lily wasn't exactly sure of yet – and was going to do something about it.

"We're going to get even," Lily said, shocking the entire room.

"What?" James turned his head towards her so quickly that she though he might get whiplash.

"You heard me," she retorted. "I'm done with taking this laying down. I'm – we're going to come up with something to do with that bitch and find out just what she's playing at."

* * *

For the rest of the day, the six friends played in the freezing snow on the grounds in an attempt to get what had happened earlier out of their minds, dying with laughter when Hagrid, the Hogwarts groundskeeper, decided to join them – tossing beach ball sized snowballs at James and Sirius. James was smart and turned to intercept the giant gob of snow with his back, but Sirius caught it full in the face. He landed on his back but, once they'd gotten all of the frozen water off of him, was grinning madly.

Dinner that night was nice, as much of the school hadn't gone home for the holidays; some parents felt that Hogwarts was safer than their own homes, while other students stayed because they had nowhere else to go – there were at least seventeen students between Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw whose entire families had been decimated. But Lily couldn't get Tancid off her mind once she saw her at the feast. She was about halfway through her plate of roast beef and mashed potatoes when the woman strutted into the hall, taking special care to pass close by Lily and James at the Gryffindor table. As she approached, Sirius' usually happy face went sour and he eyed the woman distastefully.

"Some people are just disgusting," he said loudly as Tancid passed. "You know, the ones that think they've got everyone fooled? Yeah, those pricks always get theirs in the end."

She smirked at his words, but her face quickly transformed into an expression of shock as she went tumbling to the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, professor," Mary gushed, pulling her school bag back under the bench. "I knew I should've left it back in the dorm-" she stood and helped the woman to her feet. "-but, you see, I need to go to the library after dinner and return some books." Mary smirked fully at the stunned looking woman. "You know, I might even look something up while I'm there." She released Tancid's arm and swung back into her seat, thoroughly proud of herself. It took the horrible woman a moment to compose herself, but she went on her way quickly, albeit a little shaken.

Sirius was giggle like a schoolgirl. "I bet the bitch didn't see that one coming."

"I'd say she didn't," Remus added, examining Tancid's almost hesitant footsteps up to the staff table.

"Not that I don't appreciate what you just did," Lily said carefully. "But you do realize that she may go after you now, right?"

"Oh, I hope she tries," Mary replied, a wicked glint in her eye. "I'd love to have an excuse to get her with a good Banishing charm. I wonder how well she'd do in the Sahara without a wand…"

* * *

As Lily and James relaxed in their private common room that night – cuddled up on their couch surrounded by an excessive amount of blankets – James did something that Lily wasn't expecting.

"I've got something for you," he said quietly before shifting slightly to pull something out of his pocket.

"James, you didn't need-"

"I know, but I wanted to." He smiled brightly at her and pulled out a small, flat box. "Here, open it." He passed it off to her and she sat there for a moment, just looking at it, before opening it with a little trepidation. She was nervous of what would be in there. Jewelry? She didn't wear it often. Something school related? How embarrassing. Money? What kind of a girl did he think she was?

But instead of any of those things, she found a small, rectangular piece of paper inside. Upon it were the words: Admit One – 1978 Quidditch World Cup.

Lily was speechless for a moment before she launched herself at James, pushing him down flat on his back, and planting kisses all over his face.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you-"

"So you like it then?"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you-"

He chuckled and pulled her mouth down to his, using the only means he could think of to get her to shut up. Needless to say, it worked quite well. She leaned against his chest, one hand running through his hair, the other clutching the ticket in her hand.

"You're going too, aren't you?" she asked him breathlessly a few moments later when they finally broke apart. She propped laid her cheek on his chest and looked up at him.

"No, I was just going to send you there with Sirius, Remus, and Peter for company." He chuckled and she thumped him right above his heart. "Of course I'm going, Lily-flower."

"Good." She snuggled into his embrace and breathed him in. She'd been embarrassed that day in potions those few months ago when she had to identify three concoctions at the front of the room. The Amortentia had been relatively easy to identify, since she had smelled it a couple of times before. But there had been something different that time. Before, she'd always smelled her mother's soft floral perfume, her father's cigar smoke, and treacle tart. However, that afternoon in Slughorn's dungeon, another scent had been added to the mix: broom handle polish. The strange thing was, she had never even come in contact with the stuff until she and James began sharing the Head Dormitory. He would sit down in front of the fire at least once every two weeks and polish the handle of his broom.

She could remember being shocked when she smelled it, not in their tower, but in the classroom. That was the moment she realized she was falling for James Potter.

Lily thought back to how she stood there examining it, right between the Polyjuice Potion, and Veritaserum…

Polyjuice Potion…Veritaserum…

She sat up quickly and looked at James' startled eyes. "I know what we can do about Tancid."


	12. The Plan

AN: I promise, I'm trying to roll these out as fast as I can! Please review and tell me what you think about James and Lily living (big thanks to Lovely Minnie Minty for being the only one to tell me her opinion, and to jellilicious for the 'happy 3 year anniversary!' - both are much appreciated!).

Enjoy!

Chapter 12 – The Plan

"So what you're saying is, we're going to make a batch of Veritaserum and hold Tancid prisoner in the Shrieking so we can find out what she's up to ?" Sirius looked at her incredulously. "This is what you wake us up for in the middle of night?"

"Don't forget that we'd clear her memory afterwards," Lily added, ignoring his last comment. "And if we have anything to go on, we'll use the Polyjuice Potion-" ("Another thing to make?" Sirius complained.) "-to turn one of us into her and see firsthand what she's doing."

She, Mary, and the Marauders were grouped in front of the fire in the Head's common room. She had raced up the stairs in Gryffindor tower to wake Mary while James did the same to his friends, ushering them all down to their private room. James hadn't been a bit slack jawed when Lily had first presented this idea to him, but soon jumped on board.

"Now, it would take a while," he told them and Lily nodded. "We're talking a little over a month."

"A month?" Mary glanced at them nervously. "But so much could happen in a month!"

"We know that, but it's the best we've got," Lily said placating. "The lacewing flies have to be stewed for twenty-one days, and the fluxweed has to be picked at the full moon." She cast a wearing glance to Remus. "We can do this. We'll have to get all of the other ingredients for both potions, but that won't be hard. I'll just grab them out of Slughorn's stores and tell him I need them for a potion sample to send to Eldred MacTaggert, the head of applications for the Department of Experimental Potions and Brews. He sent an application in for me over the summer," she clarified. "Didn't ask me, of course, but there you go."

There was a moment of silence before Remus spoke up. "So, if we do manage to go through with this, then what? We'll have answers, but what will we do with them?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," James decided. "Until then, we need to focus on acting normal, like we aren't up to anything." He turned to Peter, the most conspicuous of his friends. "Can we handle that?" The smaller of the boys hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Good. Now, I guess we'll get started in the morning?"

They all nodded and began to venture back to their beds, Mary and Sirius holding hands as he led her to the base of the girls' staircase.

"Are you scared?" James asked, coming to stand behind Lily as she stood facing the fire a moment later. He slid his arms around her thin waist and rested his chin atop her head.

"A little," she confessed, placing her hands over his and leaning back into his arms. "You?"

"Eh, just a bit."

She turned suddenly, looking deep into his eyes. "Do you think we can do it?"

He nodded and kissed her on the forehead. "Yes, I'm sure we can. You're the best in potions and when you get mad…well, I'm just glad that you never got this pissed at me." He grinned and pulled away, leading her up to her staircase. "It's late and I think we both need some sleep. Goodnight?"

"Goodnight," she affirmed and pecked him softly on the lips, turning to go up the stairs. But James grabbed her wrist before she got too far out of reach.

"Sweet dreams, Lily-flower."

She shivered thinking about her continuous nightmare. "James?"

"Yes?"

"If I have the dream again-"

"Come straight to me." He smirked at her and she felt better. "You know where to find me." He planted one last kiss on her palm and they parted ways.

* * *

By the time classes had resumed about a week later, both the Polyjuice Potion and Veritaserum were bubbling away in the makeshift laboratory Lily created in her bathroom. "It was really quite simple," she told James as he gazed at her in awe. "It was just an extension charm, that's all." Professor Slughorn had been more than happy to provide Lily with all of the ingredients she'd need. When he asked her what she would be concocting, she improvised. "I'm going to make, err, Angel's Trumpet Draught and its antidote, as well as a Wiggenweld potion, a Muffling draught, and Star Grass salve."

"Quick thinking," Remus complimented her as they marched out of the dungeon, their arms full of supplies. "I mean, you never would have been able to get by McGonagall with some story like that, but Slughorn…"

To Lily, just knowing that her brews were hot and gurgling was a victory over Tancid. The evil witch wouldn't know what had hit her by the time they were through. It was thoughts like these that pushed any doubts from her mind. Sure, it wouldn't be till the beginning of February that they could do anything about Tancid, but once the time came, they'd have her.

That particular notion was what got Lily through an extremely trying Defense class that afternoon. Tancid was her usual bitchy self, though she seemed to go out of her way to embarrass Lily. But Lily was not going to stand for that.

"What you see before you may seem to be a mere office desk, but inside it resides one of the most darkest of creatures." Tancid gestured at the seemingly normal desk which, in turn, rattled ominously. "Can anyone tell me what it is? Miss Matlock?"

A dark haired girl from Slytherin, Alethea Matlock, answered, "A boggart, professor?"

"Correct, five points for Slytherin. And what, exactly, does a boggart do? Mr. Otterburn?"

"It becomes what you fear most," said Marius Otterburn, a brown haired Ravenclaw that Lily found to be most agreeable.

"Yes, take five points. I believe," she started, her eyes flashing evilly. "That we should have a little demonstration. Miss Evans!" she barked and Lily's blood ran cold. "Will you do us the honor?"

Lily rose to her feet and went to stand in the middle of the room, facing the desk that was shaking violently. But she wasn't afraid, she knew how to defeat a boggart – in theory, at least – from reading their textbook. So she kept her chin up high and ignored the worried looks coming from her friends.

"I'll open it on three…two…one."

Tancid waved her wand and the side cupboard opened. From it, emerged a bony, horse-faced young woman with ashy blonde hair that hung limply against her head. Her blue eyes were cold and watery and held something deep inside them that Lily couldn't identify at first, but came to her after a moment: hatred.

"You freak!" the woman shrieked, her thin hands balled into fists. "You abnormal bitch! Why would I ever want to see you again? All you've done is make me miserable! You are disgusting!"

Lily felt tears well up in her eyes, but she wasn't going to lose it, not now. With a pang of embarrassment, she remembered her classmates; what would they think of her seeing this? What would James think?

"Riddikulus," she sputtered, but the form of her sister kept drawing closer, her eyes kept getting bigger, and saliva flew from her lips as she ranted and raved.

"Mum and dad don't really love you! They're just fascinated by your freakish world! You are an abomination! A disgrace!"

By then, tears were rolling down her cheeks. But it was her sister's – no, she reminded herself, the boggart, not sister – next words that did it.

"You're going to end up just like Aunt Abby! Alone and crazy! That's what you are, crazy!"

"Riddikulus!"

And just like that, Petunia's head morphed into that of a horse, sending the class into a fit of laughter. Tancid waved her wand and the horse-headed Petunia zoomed back into the cabinet. She looked at Lily triumphantly, who smirked back.

"But, professor, I was hoping to see what the boggart would turn to for you."

The teacher grimaced. "Never you mind. Back to your seat."

Lily made her way back to her seat, but before she could even sit down, James had taken her hand and was rubbing the back of it gently with his thumb.

"Your sister?" he asked quietly and she nodded. He pulled her hand up and kissed the place where his thumb soothed her heated skin.

For the rest of the class, Tancid lectured on boggarts and the spell that defeated them, but Lily wasn't paying attention. There was no reason to, seeing as she already knew what to do. So she just took down the homework when it was time and gathered her things, leaving the room with the rest of her classmates.

"Hey, Lily!" She turned when she heard a voice calling her name about halfway down the hall, her hand firmly in James'. It was Marius Otterburn. "I just wanted to tell you…look, I don't know why Tancid hates you so much, but it's not right. I might've mentioned something about it to Professor Flitwick this morning…"

Lily was a bit surprised at this, but appreciative nonetheless. "Thanks, Marius," she said kindly. "Maybe he can put a stop to it." She knew it wouldn't, of course – quite honestly, she didn't think anything short of Dumbledore would – but she wasn't going to tell him that.

The considerate Ravenclaw walked away and Lily grasped James' hand tighter.

"Well, that was nice of him," he said.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Not that it'll do any good."

"So, do you know him, or something?" The nonchalance in James' tone made Lily a little curious.

"Well, yes, he's a Ravenclaw prefect. I actually thought he was going to be Head Boy," she joked, elbowing him lightly in the stomach. But James didn't laugh like he normally would. Instead he just grunted and kept walking. "What's wrong?" She finally asked him as they tried to make it through the crowded corridor.

"Nothing."

"James, I'm not stupid. Now, tell me what's the matter."

He was silent for a moment, but then he exploded. "Who does he think he is? Going to a teacher! Like you can't take care of yourself, or something? Oh, please! He should know Flitwick won't be able to do anything about it! If he really wanted to get something done, he would've gone straight to Dumbledore!"

Lily walked next to him, stunned. "So, what you're saying is that you're jealous?"

"I'm…I…" He seemed to consider what she said for a moment, and then his face began to turn red and she giggled. "Oh, shut up."

"You really are jealous," she said, full-out laughing. "Oh, James, you should know by now not to be!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he moped.

She grinned and pulled him to a stop, ignoring the people that streamed around them and shot them angry glares. "If I had any feelings for Marius Otterburn, I'd be holding his hand right now," she explained. "And the only reason I thought he'd be Head Boy was because he's such a stick in the mud. I absolutely hated having to do rounds with him!"

James face lit up the moment she bashed 'that Otterburn kid'. "Is it a crime that I just want you all to myself?"

"Not at all." She grabbed him by the front of his robes and pulled him to her, their lips locking passionately.

"Get a room!"

They detached, looked towards the voice and saw Sirius standing there, chuckling with Mary tucked under his arm, Peter and Remus close by. The two heads found themselves laughing as well as they went to join their friends for lunch.

* * *

A couple weeks passed like this until it was the end of January and nearly time for the potions to be completed. Lily and Mary had snuck out to the greenhouses a couple of nights before during the full moon to pick the fluxweed after James, Sirius, and Peter promised to keep Remus as far from there as possible. It was all going so well that Lily found herself not worrying about much at all besides schoolwork.

That was, of course, until two days before they were going to put their plan into action.

"I don't know about this anymore, James," Lily muttered, looking around nervously. "What if we get caught? Or what if she doesn't take the bait? What'll we do then?"

James put down his fork and, ignoring his shepherd's pie, looked her dead in the eyes. "We won't get caught, not with the cloak. And of she'll take the bait, trust me."

"Right," she nodded, trying to compose herself. "Right."

* * *

Two days later, Lily, Mary, and the Marauders were loitering outside of the Great Hall after dinner. Their plan was about to be put into action and they all knew it was only a matter of time until Tancid exited the Great Hall (alone, as always) and went back upstairs to her study. But she wasn't going to get there.

There was a scuttling sound near the doorway that hurried in their direction. "She's coming!" Peter whispered after transforming back from his rodent form. Everyone ran to hide behind a trick tapestry except for Sirius who winked at Mary before shrinking down into a shaggy, black mutt. His tongue lolled about grossly, but Mary giggled. Just then, Tancid exited the hall, stopping dead in her tracks when she noticed Sirius.

"Get out of here, you mangy mutt," she scowled, going to grab him by the scruff of his neck. But Sirius was too quick for her. He snatched the wand that was, truthfully, hanging a little precariously out of the pocket of her robes, and took off down the hall, towards the front door. They'd made sure the door was opened just a few minutes earlier and were glad to hear Tancid's scream of frustration as Sirius sprinted out the door and across the grounds. She followed him and Mary, Remus, and Lily followed her, hidden under the invisibility cloak. James and Peter had converted into their animal forms and were rushing down after the running dog and teacher in hot pursuit.

Since it was so dark, Lily didn't worry about levitating tiny little Peter the mouse to the base of the Whomping Willow. The little rodent hopped on the stump that froze it just in time for Sirius to dart down the passage, Tancid close on his heels. Once she was out of sight, Remus tore the cloak off of them and the three Gryffindors ran full out to the tree. James was waiting there, halfway in the entrance, back in human form.

"C'mon," he whispered, grabbing Lily's hand and pulling her down with him as he slid through the hole. "We can't risk her getting the wand back."

"I can take care of that," Mary said. "Accio Tancid's wand!" The think stick of wood came hurtling towards her, followed by another exasperated shout from their teacher and a dog-like yelp of pain. "Oh, if that bitch, hurt him…"

"Let's just get to them," Lily said and followed James as he set a quick pace down the passage. In what seemed like no time at all, they could hear someone huffing and puffing towards them, muttering a series of profanities. Once they got close enough to see an average sized dark shape coming towards them, Lily muttered a quick, "Stupefy", and they heard a thump. Remus lit his wand as the four of them – Peter was supposed to wait outside the passage as a look out – crowded around their unconscious teacher.

"Looks like we got her," James said quietly. "Wingardium Leviosa."

Her still form rose a few feet off the ground and stayed there until they began moving again. Within a matter of minutes, they had reached the Shrieking Shack. Looking around cautiously, they headed up the rickety old staircase and into the bedroom located on the second floor.

"About damn time," Sirius said hotly, rubbing his side. "I need some assistance. That bitch kicked me in the side!"

"Let me see," Mary, ever the patient one, cooed and he lifted the side of his shirt, showing an already purpling bruise. "It's only that dark already because you were an animal when it happened," she said knowingly. Everyone gave her strange looks. "My uncle Virgil is a vet," she clarified.

James had laid the stiff figure on the bed, then muttered, "Incarcerous." Ropes sprang up around her, binding her to the bed.

"Are you ready?" he asked Lily, looking at her anxiously.

She nodded and pulled a small vial out of her pocket. "Here goes nothing." She unstopped it held it over Tancid's slightly parted lips, letting five drops drip in. "That should do it. Let's wake her up."

"Rennervate," Mary said softly, pointing her wand at the professor.

She came to with a gasp that quickly turned into a scream. "What is this! Let me go!"

"Not until you answer a few questions for us," James said, crossing his arms as he looked down on her. "What's your name?"

Her face screwed up tight in concentration, but she could not even begin to overpower the potion. "Phoebe Wilhelmina Tancid."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty- four."

James turned to Lily and she grimaced before stepping forward. "Why do you hate me so much?"

"You…You," she was trying to fight it off, but couldn't. "You can't replace me! Why does he want you? I'm so much better than you!"

"Who are you talking about?"

"That Dark Lord!"

Lily gasped and James grabbed her hand. "What does he want with me?"

"I don't know. But I won't let you take my place. He needs me! I am his most trusted servant!"

This last statement stopped Lily in her tracks. Most trusted. Severus had said something about a witch that was…

"Are you a muggleborn?"

"Yes."

"And you don't want there to be another muggleborn for you to compete with?"

"Yes."

Lily took a deep breath and started on another subject that she was quite curious about. "What is he planning next?"

Again, Tancid struggled to remain silent, but lost. "He wants Hogwarts."

"How does he think he's going to get it?"

"Students inside. They want to help. Use the forest." She tried to keep her mouth shut but couldn't. "And the passage from Honeydukes."

"Who are the students?"

"Mulciber, Avery, Black, Rabnott, Greengrass, Munch, Smethwyck, and Snape."

"Are there any other teachers working for Voldemort?"

"No."

"Why did he want James?"

"Potter is a well-known name. A known pure-family."

"But why are you working for him?" Lily found herself getting teary eyed. "He wants to kill everyone like you…like us."

"Because it won't hurt me. I won't die."

"Maybe not by his hand," Lily swore. "But you will die for this."

"Where is he hiding? I know they have Aurors on call all day everyday looking for any sign of him. Where is he?"

"In Durham, near a moor."

"Who is he targeting?"

"You and your family," she told him, smiling. "The great Aurors Mr. and Mrs. Potter will be the next to go because you refused to join him."

"When?" He dropped Lily's hand and leapt towards her. "Where? Tell me!"

"I don't know," she chuckled. "But I'm sure it's only a matter of time."

James had tears in his eyes. Lily pulled him away from the crazed woman on the bed, no longer recognizing her as a teacher, as she led him out to the hall. "Shh," Lily soothed, running her hands up and down his arms, chest, and back. "It's fine. We'll send your mum and dad an owl as soon as we're done here. They'll be fine." He nodded and wiped at his eyes as she held him close, letting his head drop to her shoulder and he attempted to compose himself. They could hear Sirius firing questions at her about his brother and cousin. James was able to control himself and took Lily's hand in his again before venturing back into the small bedroom to find Tancid out cold again.

"She wasn't giving up anything else," Remus told them. "Just that the attack will happen sometime in the month of April."

"I guess we had better obliviate her and get back to the castle," Lily said slowly.

"Aren't we going to go to Dumbledore about this?" Mary asked her and Lily nodded.

"But we aren't going to tell him about Tancid."

"Why not?" Sirius asked, raising his voice in anger. "She needs to be sent to Azkaban!"

"So Voldemort can break her out as well? No," she looked down at the prostrate figure. "She won't remember any of this, so I don't think it would be too hard to do this again in a couple of weeks to stay updated."

"That is a brilliant plan," James said, offering her a small smile.

"Okay, then lets obliviate her ass get back to the castle, I want to go to bed," Sirius whined.

It only took them a second to clear her mind of everything since she exited the Great Hall. However, the trek back up to the school with a bound teacher took a little bit longer. But once they had deposited Tancid outside her classroom – rope free – they went up to their tower, exhausted. Sirius gave Mary a quick kiss goodnight, but didn't say a word to anyone else. Remus and Peter were much more gentlemanly as they said goodnight, and Mary gave them all hugs before she retired as well.

Lily and James entered their common room ("Pigsnout," James whispered to the little jeweled lion) and Lily promptly fell onto the couch. James, however, raced up to his room to grab a piece of parchment, a quill and ink, and his owl, Oberon. Within a matter of moments, he'd scrawled his message onto the paper and tied it to Oberon's leg, giving him a small owl treat before sending him on his way, with the explicit instructions to do whatever it took to get his parents out of bed. By the time James made it back down to the common room, Lily was curled in a ball on the couch, sleeping. He tiptoed over to the couch and sat beside her, slowly maneuvering her into a laying position next to him. James smiled peacefully and put his arms around her, giving into the bliss that was sleep.


End file.
